Rift Between Worlds
by Sunflare Glaze
Summary: A story about the dangers of messing with items you don't completely understand. Two worlds are being threatened by a madman and only Cloud and one other can stop him.
1. Prologue

**RIFT BETWEEN WORLDS**

**PROLOGUE**

_To Nistelle:  
Inspired by the author's work  
"Grace of God"_

Sawing through the metal of a shotgun, a prisoner gritted his teeth. The sound was worst than nails on a chalkboard and the hall echoed far too loudly than he desired. Brushing some of his dirty blonde hair out of his face, he continued to cut. Finally, the barrels were cut in half and not a second too late. Footsteps could be heard, charging down the hall behind him. It was either fight or flight.

Thrusting the shotgun between his hip and belt, the prisoner ran down the rest of the hall, rushing towards an open window. Shots rang out, singing the song of death… his death. Luck was with him as the guards were lousy shots. Guarding his face, he leapt out the window, plummeting to the cement below.

Calmly, the prisoner threw his hands behind him, praying he didn't jump too far. He didn't. The edge of a window slapped against his hands, flipping him completely around. During the descent, the con saw a flag pole. He began calculating exactly when to grab it.

The wind whipped through his hair, giving him a feeling of absolute freedom. Freedom of the world, freedom of his very life. The prisoner wrapped his fingers around the smooth pole. If it rained, even in the last few days, the pole would've been too slick to hold onto and his life would have ended. Still, the escapee's arms ached as they were almost ripped out of their sockets.

_Damn that hurt,_ thought the prisoner looking down, _I'm still ten floors up._

"Surrender! There is nowhere for you to go!" came a shout from above.

Without giving a response, the con slid down the pole, letting go, and slipping into an open window. Screams of 'FIND HIM' continued, but he wouldn't give them a second's rest. Hastily, the prisoner ran down the maze of corridors and rooms until he finally found the stairs leading down to the streets below. Six Shinra guards stood at attention, denying him an escape. Shifting his eyes from left to right, he was hoping to find another way out without drawing attention to himself.

"Hey, the prisoner is escaping!" yelled one of the guards.

Quickly pulling out his gun, the con shot the guard in the chest. As their comrade fell over, the other five readied themselves to fire. Before a single shot went off, the prisoner grasped a stone in his pocket. Five fingers began to squeeze a trigger but only one fired. The bullet discharged out of the barrel and into the prisoner's right shoulder.

Gritting his teeth, the escapee ran down the corridor and hung a left. Backpedaling to a large garbage shoot, he had no choice but to jump in. Switching the gun over to his left hand, he leapt into the escape hatch. The slide was a relatively smooth one. Before hitting the garage below, the prisoner set his shotgun horizontally inside the shoot, stopping his descent.

"Where is he? I want that traitor found!" hollered a familiar voice.

The prisoner's heart began to race. He even saw the superior officer, a colonel most likely, barking orders at his subordinates. All they had to do was look up and the game would come to a close. Furthermore, his gun arm began to spasm.

"Sir. We searched here three times and the traitor is no where to be seen," replied one of the soldiers.

"Find him. He is a master when it comes to materia. There is no telling what he'll do with the Time materia he stole from me, given enough time for him to rest. Now find him!" with that, the superior officer turned around and stormed off.

"Sir! Yes colonel sir!"

_Come on and leave_. Gazing up to his arm, the 'traitor's' tendons were going numb. Hearing an erythematic sound of droplets, he stared down in horror. His blood from his wounded shoulder was gliding down the shaft and dripping just inches away from the nearest soldier. Letting out a sigh, the con thought, _It's got to be my luckiest day. Just not the type of luck one likes to have._

"Sector Delta secure. We are moving to sector Beta. Let's move," commanded one of the guardsmen.

As they left, the prisoner's arm completely gave out, forcing him to release the jammed gun. The smell of the trash was foul, but to him, it smelled like liberation. Scurrying out of the garbage, he noticed a pick-up truck parked in the garage he was in. The con jumped into the back of the truck and quickly began covering himself with some tarp.

_I can't make a sound_. Using the Time materia, the traitor froze in place. Each of his muscles tightened and even his respiratory system just stopped. The prisoner was not even aware that the truck was already driving out of the garage.

* * *

The colonel knelt down before the pool of blood. Pushing one of his fiery red locks out of his face, he pulled off his right glove. Touching the warm fluid, the colonel brought it to his nose and inhaled the iron aroma. Nodding, he wiped off his hand with a cloth and stood up.

"He was here in the last hour. How many vehicles left in that time?" asked the colonel placing his hand back into his glove.

"Three trucks are still unaccountable for, sir."

"Find the owners of those vehicles and question them thoroughly. I don't believe he had an accomplice, so try to get them on our side. Furthermore, the general locked down this sector, so he has to be here. Until the mayor or the president can declare marital law, we cannot search any buildings or vehicles without a proper warrant."

"But sir. Couldn't we play ignorant and use probable cause?" asked a soldier.

"GET DOWN AND GIVE ME FIFTY!" yelled the colonel.

The soldier dropped to his stomach, double time, and began pushing himself off the ground. The colonel glared back at his subordinates. Quickly, they all stood at attention, except the soldier on the ground. In their eyes, the colonel could tell they questioned his commands. A lunatic was roaming the city and each of them wanted him stopped before he could do any harm.

"Listen up. I want him caught more than anyone here, but we must follow orders. No soldier will enter any civilian house during peace time, nor will they charge in without a warrant. Without law, there is only anarchy. I'm confidant we'll find him, but we must do it without breaking the law. Now, move out!"

* * *

The green materia sparkled beautifully off the morning sun. The secrets buried deep within the magical gem shone easily in the eyes of the genius. Gently placing the stone into a sterling silver ring, the con stood up to his five and a half foot height and opened his arms wide. The breeze of the cool mountain air whipped all about him.

"By the power of the Ancients and the brilliance of man, I command you to release your true powers," chanted the prisoner.

The materia began to glow and the ring started to hum. A stream of light erupted out of the materia, creating a brilliant white door. Breathlessly, the prisoner looked behind the door and realized that it was a two-dimensional space in a three dimensional plane. Where would he go if he walked through?

_Only one way to find out, _the prisoner thought before jumping through the door of light.


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

**No More Materia**

Several dump trucks gathered around the once quiet town of Mideel. The town laid in ruins, with a nasty wound in the planet pumping out Mako as if it was a shot in the heart. Who really knows, maybe the place as Mideel was where the heart of the planet was. Few believed that this simple act, lead by the new government called Centrant, would "heal" this wound, let alone heal the whole world.

Even the team of Cetrants thought the plan as a waste of time and money. The president, Reeve Wadsworth, was unsure about this as well but he continued in following his old friend's lead. Cloud Strife stood beside the president with his arms folded across his chest. This was his plan, his idea.

The trucks were filled with all the materias in the world. The plan was very simple. Return all the energy of the planet to its source and hopefully the Lifestream will return to a spiritual stream of energy rather than liquid energy. It has been five years since Meteor hit, Sephiroth's fall, and the destruction of Midgar. Many humans have turned over a new leaf and banned all research and pumping of Mako worldwide. The world rewarded the human race for that act of kindness, with their existence.

The great scar at North Crater couldn't be helped but Cloud believed that Mako leakage from Nibelhiem, the ruins of Midgar, North Coral, and everywhere else could be taken care of by giving the planet back all their materia. Energy contests to find a new source of energy that didn't come from Mako started spreading like wildfire. Using coal, solar power, and wind/water power, Mako became something of the past. Those new energy sources were cheaper, cleaner, and much easier to manufacture.

When Cloud and the president offered 500 gil per materia, almost everyone jumped on the wagon, if not giving it away for free; to be rid of the cursed stones. Only the Wutai were too stubborn of handing over their materia. Reeve offered complete withdrawal of the old government, Shinra, from their lands and a donation of ten million gil for compensation. That afternoon, the president got two trucks full of material from the Wutai.

The site of Mideel was where Cloud wanted to feed the broken heart of the planet. He collected all the materias that humanity could recover. Setting down a case, the president looked up to the ex-SOLDIER. Cloud tilted his head, wondering what his friend had in the case. The answer to the unspoken question was revealed when Reeve opened the case holding several red materias inside.

"Are you sure we got them all?" asked Cloud impassively. The president stood up, wiping his brow with a towel. Moving his eyes from truck to truck and finally back to the case, the president nodded.

"My accountants have taken inventory a hundred times. This should be all of them. Soon, there will be no more materia."

A hand squeezed the warrior's elbow. He didn't need to turn to know who it was. Tifa wrapped her arms around his waist, staring down at the Lifestream that spewed out Mako every five seconds. Cloud didn't want her by his side for this. She's been so patient with him. He felt he was doing this to help the planet but a twinge in his mind told him it was for selfish reasons. He was doing this for her, Aeris.

The saying has always gone 'you never know what you have until you lost it.' No one knew this better than Cloud Strife. He couldn't push what he felt for Aeris, even though she was gone, out of his mind or heart. Tifa hinted at him many times that she wanted to have a future with him. Cloud couldn't. He still loved the dead Ancient and if he couldn't give Tifa all his love, he would be cheating her.

Shaking out of his reverie, Cloud moved over to his titanium motorcycle, removing an extremely long object wrapped in a cloth. It was Reeve's turn to wonder what could possibly be in all that cloth. Waving his friends to get out of the way, the warrior grabbed an end of the wrapped up object in both of his hands and flicked both of his wrists. The cloth immediately shredded to bits, leaving Cloud holding an impossibly long sword.

"Where did you get that?" Tifa gasped in horror.

Cloud looked down into the lake made of Mako. It was time to be rid of Mako and all the materias in the world. In his hands, the long sword known as Masamune hummed loudly in the ex-SOLDIER's mind. The sentient sword knew what the foolish man planned on doing to it. Masamune began to assault Cloud's mind with as much power as it could mutter. It had no effect. Cloud suffered metal intrusions from both Sephiroth and Jenova. This piece of metal didn't even hold a candle to their power.

The sword was heavy. Many said that only Sephiroth could wield the incredibly huge weapon. That wasn't the case however. During the hunt for Sephiroth, many clones wielded the blade as well as the original owner. Therefore, Cloud came to the conclusion that anyone with Jenova cells in them could use the blade, even him.

Whipping the sword through the air, the humming intensified in the warrior's mind. Closing it out as easily as putting a thought out of his mind, the blade fell into the Mako, never to surface again. Satisfied with the destruction of his nemesis's weapon, Cloud turned to Reeve and nodded. One by one, a truck back up to the ledge of the cliff and began pouring out millions of materias. What happened after the first load was astonishing.

The Lifestream began to glow brighter and dimmed back to its original soft green. As it dimmed, the lake also subsided. The three former AVALANCHE members smiled widely and impatiently demanded the dump to continue. After each truck released their stones into the Lifestream, the liquid diminished all the more. An hour later, no vehicle held even a single rock.

The president grinned to his friends and picked up the case of Summon materias. This was the truest test. When the most powerful materias were enveloped by the Lifestream, the liquid would return to its spiritual form. Reeve's grin turned into a frown. The beasts that lived in each of these stones played a major part of making this world a much better place.

"Good-bye friends," Reeve paused, his heart racing as if he was losing a close friend. "May all fourteen of you find peace."

With that said, he emptied the contents and turned around. Walking away, the president was almost plowed over by the ex-SOLDIER leaping over the cliff. Reaching behind him, Cloud threw his sword out and down, having it embed into the side of the earth, just ten feet above the Lifestream. Extending his arm for the hilt and grasping it loosely, the warrior spun over to the top of the blade, balancing himself perfectly.

Snapping his hands out as fast as his Mako filled veins would allow, Cloud began grabbing each of the materias. Popping a few in his mouth so his hands were free enough to catch them all, he tried not to swallow with all the tension that was within him. Breathing deeply, yet cautiously, Cloud started to count each of the stones.

He started inserting the four in his right hand into his Escort Guard and two more from his mouth into the bracer. _Six_, he thought before kneeling down and placing the rest into his Ultima Weapon. _That's eight_, Cloud sighed. Gazing up at the cliff, he saw his friends staring back in disbelief.

"Are you two going to wait all day before lowering a rope?" Cloud yelled up at them.

Reeve endlessly stared at the warrior but Tifa disappeared in an instant. The sound of a truck backing up snapped the president out of his trance. Tifa got out of the vehicle and pulled down a lever, dropping a large metal cord from the back of the machine. Once it reached the warrior, she pushed the lever back up. Grasping the cord in one hand and his sword in the other, he looked back to his childhood friend. The cord began going up, with Cloud and Ulitma Weapon with it. As soon as the ex-SOLDIER was in safety was when Reeve started barking at him.

"What the Hell is wrong with you! I thought you wanted **all** materia to be put in there," Reeve sank back, noticing a very familiar glare that Cloud only gave to those who would be on his blade soon. Looking back to his bracer, Cloud started naming off each of the Summons.

"Chocobo Mog… Shiva… Ifrit… Ramuh… Titan and Odin," the warrior paused, picking up his sword and continued on with the list, "Bahamut, Kjata… Alexander and Neo Bahamut. Leviathan, Phoenix… Hades and Tyhoon."

His death glare returned to the president. Quickly, several soldiers stood between the president and the dangerous mercenary. Tifa tried to calm him by touching his shoulder, but he shook it away. The ex-SOLDIER was enraged, furious, and ready to kill.

"Cloud! Reeve is your friend. What's wrong with you!" screamed the marital artist.

"You're 'accountants' are wrong. Where is it?" snapped Cloud, completely ignoring the woman to his side.

"Where's what?" the president replied honestly and pushing his way though his men.

"Bahamut ZERO!"

Reeve and Tifa stared at each other, then slowly to Cloud. He knew that they had fifteen Summons in total and so did they. The strongest Summon was missing! Noticing his friend's distress, the warrior calmed himself. It wasn't their fault.

Not wanting others to get their hands on the materias, Cloud walked over to the edge of the cliff and threw both the sword and bracer into the Lifestream. The planet moaned delightfully and the liquid was very low. Bahamut ZERO, the last materia, could set the world back into its balance.

"We got to find that materia," Cloud stated. His friends nodded in unison. But… where to start?

* * *

Nanaki, or as his friends call him Red, was torn with what path to choose. There were only two paths ahead of him. He could follow in his father's footsteps and be a warrior, or with his adopted grandfather on his death bed, choose the life of science. Many said that with Nanaki's long life span as a redfang, he could do both. He just didn't want to disappoint either his father or grandfather.

"Bugenhagen, we have some news to the north," hollered a native, climbing up the ladder leading the Begenhagen's Observatory.

Meeting the man at the top, Red hushed him immediately, tipping his chin back down the latter. The man hastily went down as Red using his powerful hind legs, leapt down to the lower floor. The man was aware of his grandfather's health, so this had to be an emergency.

"Now, what is it Arrowhead?" asked Nanaki calmly.

"We got word out in Nibelheim. Some type of two-dimensional door is growing at a disturbing rate," Arrowhead replied really quickly.

"Hmm. Get Cid Highwind on the PHS. I will take care of this in my grandfather's absence," Red put up a paw, trying to calm the native.

Nodding his head rapidly, Arrowhead ran off to get the nearest PHS. Nanaki closed his eyes, thinking ahead on what this disturbance could be. He would have to investigate this. As if fate was guiding him towards the scientific path, there also may be danger lying in Nibelheim. That's nothing new but it could mean he has to fight. The prospect of both the paths being intertwine brought a smile to the redfang's face.

* * *

"Cloud! You're PHS is going off!" yelled Tifa, holding onto Cloud for dear life as he sped towards the fort known as Condor.

Breaking almost immediately, the warrior looked on his hip, seeing his phone's light was blinking. For the past few years, Cloud has been avoiding his fellow AVALACHE members. Now, with Bahamut ZERO missing, any one of them could have the information he needed. Picking it up, he opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. Instead, he handed it to Tifa.

"Hello, this is Tifa," the martial artist answered.

"Tifa? What the HELL! Where is that blonde spike headed, idiot!" came a rude reply on the other end. Both of them knew only one man who would speak in such harsh tones.

Snatching the PHS from her hands, Cloud pressed down the button and whispered softly into the phone. Profanity followed by the words 'speak up' came from Cid's end of the phone. Cloud continued to whisper until he was sure the old pilot was trying his hardest to listen to whatever the warrior was trying to say. Cloud took a deep breath.

"I'M HERE! WHAT IS IT, CID!" screamed Cloud as loud as he could. Static followed. Soon a reply came back but it wasn't the pilot.

"That wasn't nice, Cloud Strife. Funny but not nice," a familiar, soft voice came from the ear piece. Both of them looked at each other in shock. Tifa grabbed the PHS from Cloud.

"Red? Is that you?" squealed the woman.

"Yes Tifa. Where are you? I need your help with something."

"We're just outside of Fort Condor."

"We'll be there in five minutes. And… hey." Red was cut off and replaced with Cid, "Listen, you little fu…"

Cloud cut the captain off before he could finish his response. Shaking his head, the ex-SOLDIER hoped whatever Red wanted, it would have to do with the missing materia. If not, than his workload would be doubled. That didn't sit well with the warrior at all.

* * *

"We'll been nearing Diancecht soon," said the old man, driving the van. He had no idea who his passenger was or what he wanted to do at the capital but he offered him a ride anyway. Obviously, his passenger hasn't eaten in days and hasn't even had the time to shave. He was wounded and needed help and since he was going to the capital anyways, the old man offered him a lift.

"Diancecht? What happened to Midgar?" replied the ex-prisoner.

The old man's features changed dramatically. His once normal, joyful smile was replaced with a stonewall scowl. Keeping a careful eye on the road, the old man didn't answer, nor spoke for the rest of the ride to Diancecht. The con didn't speak either.

The city was huge, as gigantic as Midgar. It even looked like Midgar, after taking the plate off and putting down onto the ground and minus eight reactors. The city was peaceful, with clean air and children running about during their summer vacation. Other than one or two cops around, not a soldier was around.

_Where am I?_ Thought the ex-prisoner, never seeing a city that hasn't ran on Mako energy. Shrugging it all away, he reached into his pockets and felt the Time materia he stole from the colonel and his newest addition. A weird red stone that he swiped at North Corel as a tall, ebony man with a gun for an arm threw the stone into a case. Whatever secrets lied in the stone, he would find. Once he knows how to use the materia, the next step would to unlock its true power. He couldn't wait.


	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

**Shadows of the Past**

"So… what is it?" asked the soldier, standing before a bright white door.

The portal seemed to stretch a mile wide and tall, yet it had no depth, not even the size of a single hair. The "back" side was identical to the "front"; white without any sign that one could see the opposite end. It didn't appear tangible but none of the AVALACHE members cared to see what would happen if they placed an arm through it, let alone step in.

"I don't have a clue. I do, however, have an educated guess. This anomaly seems to be a tear in the space-time continuum. I would say, whatever goes through this will travel into the past or future," stated Nanaki, kicking a rock into the portal.

Cloud, only having a mild idea what his four legged friend was saying, began to walk up to the gate. It seemed harmless enough, yet the unknown light glowed more brightly, as if warning the soldier not to come any farther. Cloud wasn't afraid. To one who led the fight against the legendary WEAPONS, a little illumination didn't make him flinch. With an outstretched hand, he stepped a few more feet to seal the gap.

"Get away from that!" yelled Cid, wrapping an arm around the warrior's throat and pulling them both away from the tear.

"Someone or something has created this portal and the portal is growing. The size of this tear is doubling every hour. I would say in six days, this thing will become large enough to cover the entire world," Nanaki declared, staring hard at Cloud with his one good eye.

"What you are saying is," Cloud began, slipping out of the captain's grasp and giving him a friendly punch in the shoulder, "is that we have to jump into this thing, find and stop whoever created this, and do it all in six days?"

"Actually," Nanaki paused, never taking his eye off the soldier, "it's not 'we' but you. It's too dangerous for anyone of us without Jenova cells to attempt to go into this portal. Time and space travel could be hazardous, if not deadly, to anyone except you."

"Very well. Six days isn't that short," Cloud ginned widely, pulling out his Buster sword.

"Um… actually," Nanaki stopped, fearing to finish his thought.

"What?" asked the soldier, more curious than concerned.

"During half this tear's cycle, it will cut through this planet's core. That, in itself, could cause this world to collapse. Meaning," the redfang paused, closing his eye in defeat, "you have only three days."

"THREE DAYS! MAN!" Cid screamed, dropping his cigarette out of his mouth.

Tifa turned to her childhood friend, with many concerns for the perils he would have to endure… alone. To her surprise, however, the warrior looked onwards with nothing but determination in his Mako filled eyes. He remained perfectly calm and focused at his task at hand. Her eyes widen, as he glided towards the portal without fear.

The martial artist ran a few strides and crushed the soldier in a tight embrace. Tears ran down her cheeks, which she quickly hid from her friend by burying her face into his shoulder. An arm wrapped around her waist and another lay gently behind her head. She didn't want him to let her go, or to leave her to battle this unseen enemy alone. The dread of losing Cloud almost caused her to let the words she so desperately wanted to tell him out. The soldier intercepted her, speaking out instructions, not orders, to his friends.

"Cid. Red. Both of you need to take the _Highwind_ and get to Corel to pick up Berret. He was the last one seen with Bahamut ZERO. While I'm gone, I want you to find that thief and the materia," the soldier pulled Tifa at arms length. "Tifa, please wake Vincent in the mansion. If something other than me comes out of this thing, I want you both to send it back."

Nodding her head quickly, the martial artist smiled at him and gave him a wink, followed up by a punch in the shoulder. The shoulder immediately went numb. Cloud began rubbing his arm.

"Come back in one piece," Tifa said, patting him on his other shoulder.

"One more piece of caution for you my friend," said Red, walking over to Cloud with a vial in his mouth. Setting it down, the redfang continued, "If you go into the past, don't change anything. That could be worse than this predicament."

"What if I go to the future?" replied Cloud, picking up the vial where Red dropped it.

"The future is our own. We make it by our daily actions," was all Red had to say.

With a shrug, Cloud turned before the gate, grasping Buster with both his hands. The warrior crouched, readying himself for the travel. With a nod, he charged and leapt into the portal, sword leading the way. He would be prepared for anything. In the following second, he was on the other side, face first into the earth.

Sitting up and rubbing his head, the soldier observed the landscape. Nothing changed. His excitement was replaced with confusion. He just went right through the tear without any 'space-time travel' that Red was talking about.

"Red, it didn't," he trailed off, after he rounded the huge white portal. Everyone was gone.

* * *

"GENERAL! Please, I need to come with you. This is my investigation after all," pleaded the sharp chinned, fiery red haired colonel.

Within the armored vehicle, the small group of soldiers jumped as their ride hit a nasty bump. Taking the bump as a sign, the general just laid back, resting his eyes. His friend was right and was in his right to be by the general's side to apprehend the treacherous terrorist.

But after the con somehow stole the colonel's keys to his cell; the colonel's ID card to get through most of the locked security doors; and even the colonel's Time materia that was off of his armlet to help in his escape, the general felt it became too personal for his friend to continue. With all the humiliation the colonel had endured, as well as losing the prisoner under his watch from the city, he might want to get _personal _with the prisoner.

"You will be dropped off at Cosmo Canyon," was the general's reply.

"On my _word_, I will not do anything that would jeopardize this mission," the colonel exclaimed with his chin held high.

In a single, swift movement, appearing as a blur, the general was up holding the colonel by his collar, pulling his face so close that they could smell what the other just had for lunch. Both stared hard at the other. The fellow soldiers in the truck tried to make room for the two. The top ranking officers held their poses for several heartbeats. The colonel knew this test well. He remained silent and refused to blink unless absolutely necessary.

"Do not break your word. Promises are meant to be broken but your word cannot bend, not once. I will hold you to that," the general said in a low, harsh whisper.

Only the colonel could have heard the warning. With a nod from both parties, each sat at their posts. The general was a man of high standards and expected his troops to follow his ethics as quickly as they would take his orders. Rumors, though they have only been rumors, told that during the war, some soldiers didn't follow the general's views on how to engage the enemy. Some Shinra soldier's ambushed a civilian Wutai caravan. Some poisoned the drinking water of a valuable resource town that was supplying food to the enemy. Some felt, that within their rights after 'liberating' a village, they could rape some women.

Each soldier, though few and couldn't be afforded to be lost during the war, disappeared. Many say they fell in the final conflict but others believed the honorable general slaughtered them all and hid their bodies. Neither could be proven.

"We'll be in Nibelheim in the hour. I have your word," the general said, turning to the colonel. The red headed warrior could only nod.

* * *

Rounding the final bend on the trail, the soldier did his best to remain inconspicuous. Nibelheim was bustling with activity and life was for more alive than Cloud had remembered it. The town seemed to have grown, with more buildings expanding around and up the mountain range. It was indeed Nibelheim, for the well in the town square was still standing, occupied by a teenage girl sitting at the rim of the well. She was smiling as two boys were arguing on who would take her out on a date.

A smile crept to Cloud's face as seeing this old hellhole has become an active community. The future appeared to be bright, for Nibelheim wouldn't be so lively or so large in the past. The sights made the steps of the soldier lighter.

A small ball flew out and struck the unaware warrior. Three kids rushed up, with concerned looks on their faces as their kickball hit a grownup. The smile never left the soldier's face. He stomped on the ground; the ball came up, and was intercepted by his strong hand.

"Hey, don't play so close to the trail," Cloud warned and happily returning the ball.

As the children scurried off into the nearest yard, the soldier couldn't help but feel contentment for his old hometown. So much has changed. The future seemed to be beautiful. Remembering the portal he just came from, however, brought Cloud back to reality. If the culprit who opened the tear in space-time wasn't found in three days and if Cloud couldn't get him to close it, both the present and this beautiful future would be no more. If that happened, Aeris's sacrifice would have been in vain.

_I won't let that happen_, Cloud thought, but wasn't sure if he meant the world's destruction or Aeris's sacrifice. Either way, it didn't matter. Cloud began to walk hastily to the only place where he could gather information about the last few days. Normally the inn would be a place for travelers to rest before a long trek up the Nibel mountain range. Possibly the one that was causing all the trouble would have stopped there first. The logic was simple but he knew of no better place to start.

"Hello innkeep, I have a few questions…" Cloud announced while opening the door widely.

The soldier stopped short, bewildered at the sight before him. Moving his head from side to side, the soldier tried to deny who he was seeing. The innkeeper, long ago taken by the fire of Nibelheim, was alive and well behind his counter. The innkeeper tilted his head trying to place the soldier.

_This can't be. I'm in the past? Maybe. My recollections of the old Nibelheim is vague to say the least. I got to get out of here, _thought the warrior, turning on his heels to make haste out of the inn.

"Cloud Strife! Heck son, it's been what? Years since I seen ya," the innkeeper said, freezing the soldier in his tracks, "what are ya doing here? Are ya on leave?"

"Yeah," Cloud responded, turning around while scratching the back of his head.

"You're lookin' good. What can I do for ya?"

"Do you have today's newspaper?"

With a nod, the innkeeper felt around behind the desk and produced the Shinra Times. Noticing the name caused Cloud to sigh. The company, Shinra, was still in power. Cloud realized he was in the past but the date gave him pause.

"This can't be."

"Cloud, what are you doing here?" came an unexpected question from behind the warrior.

Paralyzed by the voice, Cloud felt himself drifting into the past, remembering the last time he ever heard that voice. That voice behind him continued to speak to the soldier, but lost was he in the memories of the sound, not the words. A strong hand grasped his shoulder but the touch was distant. As if the world slowed, the grip spun him around. The speed of returning to the now was lightning quick, as he saw the person behind him.

Before the soldier, stood a figure that had a likeness similar to himself. A man with a blue jump suit, well muscular toned body, a sharp eye, and a large sword strapped to his back. His face was more angular than Cloud's and his hair was jet black, which cascaded all the way down his back.

"Z-Zack," Cloud breathed, hugging his lost friend.

The embrace didn't last long. No longer did Cloud care about what time he was in. If he was in the past, he could change the wrongs that came from one individual… if _he_ was here. Pushing aside Zack, the soldier ran out, half-hoping the devil incarnate was in Nibelheim.

In the middle of town, right next to the well where the teens were at, was the silver haired warrior, Sephiroth. Tall and muscular; the soldier wore a leather cloak with two metal shoulder pads and strapped to his side was the damned long sword Masamune that he destroyed in his own time.

The Top rank SOLDIER turned to Cloud, burrowing into Cloud's being with his sharp Mako green eyes. He smiled at the blonde soldier, that same smile that caused many to trust him. The silver haired warrior's eyes widened in surprised as the lower class soldier charged with a huge sword in hand.

"What are you about?" Sephiroth asked as he brought his sword to parry the large broad sword. Little did he knew the fire that fueled this soldier; the hate for the silver haired warrior.

Before he knew what happened, Buster's flash of steel came back in the opposite direction. Instinct was the only thing that saved Sephiroth from having his head removed from his shoulders. Sidestepping the blade saved his life, only to receive a deep tear into his left shoulder. The metal shoulder pad split in half, torn free from the power behind the blade. Buster came back around for a pierce but was intercepted by Masamune.

No longer underestimating this foe, Sephiroth began a difficult fighting routine, which would overwhelm even the most experienced fighter. Blow for blow, Cloud matched Sephiroth's attacks and defenses. The masters of swordplay slashed, feinted, and parried. Cloud came down with an over head chop, which was parried by a sideways slash, locking both blades to the ground. Neither could free their sword without giving the other ground.

"Cloud! What's the meaning of this?" Sephiroth yelled. His screamed out in denial as a wad of saliva blinded him.

Following through with the assault, Cloud stepped inside the locked blades and back punched his adversary across the face. The silver haired soldier fell, still blinded. In the fall, Sephiroth kicked out, hoping that Cloud was close enough to connect with. Half-heartedly, the sweep did trip the blonde warrior. Instead of resisting, the soldier fell into the sweep and rolled back onto his feet.

"Sephiroth!" a cry came from behind Cloud. The concept that his friend Zack would join his nemesis didn't settle well with him.

"No Zackary! Keep the civilians indoors," command the superior officer. Back flipping off the ground, the silver haired soldier tossed Masamune into his left hand.

Bringing his sword to bare, Cloud waited for Sephiroth to make the next move. He did. Pivoting a one-eighty, the Top ranking SOLDIER ran and flipped over the well. Once he was completely upside-down, he pushed himself the rest of the distance by using his free hand to push off the wooden plank. Hitting the ground in a run, the soldier kicked off the side of a building with one foot and kicked off the adjacent building, into another back flip.

Breathing heavily, the silver haired warrior began to catch his second wind. Never before had he fought someone with so much strength, agility, and skill. Sensing something amidst, Sephiroth stood at the ready. Cloud came up and over the roof, appearing as if he was flying with one hand holding Buster in mid-swing.

_He jumped up here in a single leap? _Sephiroth brought up Masamune, holding the blunt side of the blade with his other hand. The block worked but the force of the Mako and Jenova enhanced swing and the high descent caused the Top SOLDIER's arms to numb. Cloud jumped back, breathing harder but it didn't appear to Sephiroth that he was winded. _He is preparing for something… has he reached his limit?_

"You aren't Cloud Strife. He isn't this powerful," Sephiroth exclaimed, trying to buy some time to ready himself for whatever the crazed blonde had in store for him.

Without a word, Cloud stood, focused on his opponent. Shifting his feet, he prepared for a daring attack. His arms tensed as Mako began to fuel his veins, intensifying his strength and endurance.

"Omnislash!" Cloud screamed and charged.

The attack was fierce. Out came Buster, left then right and followed by a pierce, a jump slash and then a drop slash. Quickly pulling back, Buster came right back with two more pierces, then a left and right slash, following through with an overhead slash. Pierces continued to become slashes that became jumps. The multiple strikes blended together into one fluent motion. Cloud leapt into the air, the sun shining brightly on the tip of Buster, showing the final strike of the Omnislash. He came down with all the rage and hatred for this demon.

Surprised washed over the blonde warrior. Sephiroth had his sword up, which blocked the final strike. Cloud leapt back and noticed all that he has done to the demon, other than the wound on his shoulder, was a scratch on his cheek and both of his long bangs were cut in half from their original lengths.

_He… he parried that attack! _A sharp sting brought Cloud out of his thoughts. He slapped his neck and removed a tiny dart. Vertigo overwhelmed him. Reaching for his armlet, he realized that he didn't have any materia to heal poison. Looking behind, he could only see blotches of green and brown, with red hair floating in the air.

Cloud fell to his knee, refusing to give into the tranquilizer. Thinking he heard Sephiroth say 'colonel' didn't comfort him in the slightest. Forcing his head up, the last thing he saw was the silhouette of his enemies.

Cloud cursed himself for going off after Sephiroth. Now he was at Sephiroth's mercy, unable to help the dangers of his world. Closing his eyes, he could only think about Zack and Sephiroth… alive. How foolish he was, thinking he could change or fight the shadows of his past. Then, there was only oblivion.


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

**Difficult Choices**

The ice cold liquid was a shock to his system, waking him instantly. Blinded by a single light that shined directly into his face, no images could be seen except for a lone silhouette. Thinking the figure was speaking, the warrior shook away any disorientation he felt and focused on the shadow. After a moment of realizing that he was bound to the chair he rested on, he began to squirm.

"Enough of that," barked the figure.

Slowly his eyes adjusted in the room and the silhouette began to take form. Standing before the warrior was a man dressed in a red army uniform, standing tall and proud with several symbols on his right arm sleeve, marking him as a colonel. His captor's face was hard and chiseled with a sharp chin. Slick back into a tight pony tail was his fiery red hair that clashed with his calm pose. Cloud could only laugh.

"Reno? W-Where did, ha ha, you get the… ha ha ha, outfit?"

His face passive, the colonel reached over and grabbed his cup of iced coffee and splashed the warrior in the face. Some of the liquid and ice ended in Cloud's mouth but most of it stuck in his spiked hair. Spitting the fluid to the side, the ex-SOLDIER glared at Reno, realizing that the low life had him bound. Regardless on how the Turk/Colonel looked, Cloud was at his mercy.

"My name, soldier, is Colonel DeAnthony. I will be asking the questions here," the colonel stated while slamming a manila envelope down on the table in front of Cloud.

"Let's begin. What is your name soldier," the colonel calmly asked.

Cloud remained silent; knowing full well any answer he would give would be warped around to the benefit of this individual. Instead, he focused on the envelope that read 'Criminal Number 1' on the table and wondered what was in it. The colonel continued asking questions but he sounded a mile away. Nothing was making any sense to the warrior. If this time was the past, why was Reno a colonel? And this couldn't be the future, Sephiroth was dead, so where was he? What world did that gate landed him into. What…

"SOLDIER!" Colonel DeAnthony snapped just inches away from Cloud's face, drawing him back to the interrogation.

"You look like Cloud Strife, you sound like Cloud Strife, but your not Cloud Strife are you! I already checked back at base and Cloud Strife, fifth rank SOLDIER, was and is doing his rounds. So I ask you again. Who are you?" the colonel barked, remaining just inches away from the warrior's face to where his spit ever so often hit the warrior in the face.

Again, Cloud remained silent, not because he didn't want to answer, but of the sheer shock of Reno's volume and temper behind the whole interrogation that bothered him. Never had the warrior seen Reno shown any other expression except a cool, calm, laid-back appearance. Regaining his composure, Cloud sat up, glaring into his captor's eyes. He wouldn't be fooled or intimidated, Reno or no Reno.

"Fine," the colonel continued, backing away from his prisoner. "Let me tell you what I think and you just listen. We of the Green Operation were sent out here to retrieve the greatest, treacherous, and terrorist in this day of age. He fled here to Nibelheim and coincidently, a huge unknown phenomenon appeared up in the Nibel Mountain Range. Another coincidence is that a Cloud look a like appeared a day later. Tell me it's just a coincidence or tell me the truth."

Opening the envelope, the colonel spilled the contents of files and photographs out of the package. Cloud glanced down at them for a second then rolled his eyes at the colonel. Too much time was being wasted. How could he get out of this to help the situation that endangered his world?

Tiring of the prisoner's lack of respect and cooperation, the colonel threw all the paperwork off the desk and snatched his prisoner by his collar, lifting him and his chair up. A sneer came to his lips a second later, followed by an outstretched backhand. A growl escaped and the hand descended down.

"Stop Colonel DeAnthony," a soft voice commanded. A second later an overhead light was turned on. The hand froze in mid-swing and Cloud's chair was gently returned to the floor with prisoner in tow.

No relief found Cloud as the voice that stopped Reno was that of Sephiroth. Clenching his teeth down hard, he began breathing deeply to calm himself. It was his own anger, his own vendetta towards Sephiroth that landed him here, captured and unable to help his friends.

The general walked passed the prisoner as if he wasn't there. A glare that could scare a charging rhino, burrowed into the colonel but DeAnthony wouldn't be intimidated, not even to the legendary man. There they stood, eye to eye, waiting for the other to move.

"My father gave us direct instructions to interrogate as we see fit but we are not to strike the man," the general calmly stated.

"My apologies general. I overstepped my bounds. It will not happen again," the colonel stomped to attention.

_Oh boy. What does that nut case Hojo want with me? And with this twisted world, I still can't believe Hojo would confine in Sephiroth that he is his father._ Cloud thought as he checked his bonds. He was tied to the chair by some thick hemp rope and the knot was strangely tied, keeping him from getting loose. The warrior was liking his chances less and less as this day rolled on.

"My son is a bit harsh but he is loyal," a soft, elderly voice spoke in. The voice itself confused the warrior, who struggled to get a better vantage to see the speaker behind him. He knew one thing for certain, that voice didn't belong to Hojo. A two-piece, black suited gentleman who seemed to be in his fifties walked passed Cloud.

"Sir, I felt that my methods would loosen his tongue," replied the colonel.

"Take a look into his eyes," the gentleman paused, waving over to Cloud. "Those are the eyes of a veteran warrior. He has seen death more than all of us combined. Any brute force would be a waste of time, which we don't have."

As he continued to speak, the voice did ring a cord to Cloud. He knew he heard this man somewhere before and he couldn't figure out why he was called Sephiroth's father. Where was Hojo and who was this man?

"You both may go, I can handle things from here," the gentleman commanded, dismissing the two soldiers. As they reached the door, he asked, "Sephiroth, could you please release him from his bonds?"

"What!" Colonel DeAnthony yelled and was further surprised that with a flick of the general's wrist as Sephiroth cut right through the rope.

"Again, colonel you both are dismissed."

A firm hand grasped the colonel's shoulder. Turning to see the general giving him a nod, he still couldn't believe what was happening. The prisoner was a great threat but the general was at ease. As always, his soldier instincts took over. He didn't want to be court marshaled, so he left the room with the general, not worrying about the consequences for their foolish actions.

Once they were alone, the gentleman sat on the edge of the table, reaching for something behind him. With the lights on, Cloud looked around the room. There were four solid walls with an oak door behind him and a two-way mirror in front of him. The gentleman returned with a cup in hand.

"Thirsty?" he tenderly asked, holding out a cup of water to the warrior.

The gentleman held himself strong for his age but his face was calm and neutral, the perfect poker face. But those eyes that Cloud fell into, those deep brown eyes; he knew this man. Shaking his head in denial, the gentleman took it as his cue to put the cup back. But when the warrior gasped a word, the gentleman glanced back to the prisoner.

"Vincent?"

"That is my first name, yes. I prefer my title, Detective Valentine," the gentleman answered with a raised eyebrow.

_None of this makes any sense! Am I still in the Lifestream?_ Cloud thought, looking into oblivion.

"I'm the best interrogator in the world," Detective Valentine announced to the obviously distracted warrior.

"That can't be true," Cloud replied, seeming more in control. "If it was, you wouldn't tell your prisoner that."

"I don't see a prisoner here, do you?"

Unconsciously, Cloud began to take a quick look around. Normally he was well in control of himself but things haven't seemed right the moment he came into this world. Now, confused by his friend's look a like and the chaos of this world, it was becoming difficult for Cloud to see through this one's clever manipulations.

_Okay Cloud, calm down. You are in another world that much is certain. So focus on your mission and nothing else. There is no reason to answer any of his question… unless in answering will help your mission._

"I do have some questions for you, if you don't mind," the detective started when he got Cloud's attention again.

_Like I have a choice? _Cloud thought but nodded anyways.

"Ah, now we're getting somewhere. You see, I don't see you as a threat. In fact, if you tell me right now that you are Cloud Strife, I will believe you," the detective smiled gently at the warrior. After finally regaining his memory and in turn, his identity, Cloud couldn't help himself.

"I am Cloud Strife."

"I believe you," Detective Valentine nodded, resting his soothing brown eyes on Cloud.

Regardless on what the gentleman said about being the best interrogator in the world, Cloud refuse to believe that those eyes were lying to him. Perhaps it was just the sight of an old friend that made the warrior feel more at ease.

"A few questions answered and you my walk out that door. Fair?" the detective asked. Cloud nodded almost that same second.

"Okay then," the detective paused to bend over and lift up a photograph of his prime suspect. "Have you come across this man during your travels?"

Upon closer observation, the warrior knew who it was and was unsurprised with this chaotic world, which was so different from his own, that the individual was running from the law. But he hadn't seen him since he came to this world. So, Cloud shook his head.

"We believe he is the cause of the phenomenon in the mountains. Is it safe to say that you wish to stop what's going on there?"

From the sound of the question, the warrior slowly glanced and narrowed his eyes at the detective. The question was innocent enough but why did he seem like he knew what the warrior was thinking. For that matter, why did he seem like he knew more than he should. Cautiously, the warrior nodded.

"Excellent," the detective answered passively. "We are after the same goal. If I asked, 'will you help me,' would you?"

_This maybe my only chance to get out of here and figure out what is going on,_ Cloud thought with a quick nod.

"Will you help me?" Detective Valentine asked with a hint of excitement in his voice. A nod followed soon after.

"Perfect. Let's go," the detective said with a smile and began walking to the exit. Once he got to the door and his hand was around the knob, a thought came to him, "Oh, and one more thing. I would like your word that you will not attack my son."

"Your son? Sephiroth?" Cloud asked skeptically. The detective nodded.

"There is no way in hell I would give my word to that!"

The reaction the warrior got was not what he expected. His friend's look a like smiled and nodded as he opened the door. Nothing made any sense to the warrior, but he followed the detective anyways. He was going to help these strange characters and he would have to work with Sephiroth of all people. But the only other choice he had was to be an enemy to a world that was too strange for his liking. It was a difficult choice to help them, help Sephiroth, but the clock was ticking.

Behind the two-way mirror, the two top SOLDIERS watched on. The colonel couldn't believe what Detective Valentine was doing. Through the interrogation—if it was an interrogation—the prisoner didn't give any proving evidence of his identity or any reason to why he was here in Nibelheim. Now he was freeing the prisoner, a prisoner that just moments ago, battled and wanted to kill his own son. This 'Cloud' even said he would attack Sephiroth again if given the chance. Turning to the general, he was equally confused by the calm expression in his stature.

"Sir! Are you just going to let that man go?" the colonel asked, trying to hide the aggravation in his voice.

"No," Sephiroth calmly answered never skipping a beat. A smile crept to the colonel's face until… "But my father will."

"General! No offense, but you outrank Detective Valentine! You could—"

"Enough Reno," the general interrupted softly. With a turn of his head, the colonel saw his long time friend smiling at him. Taken aback, DeAnthony gazed back into the deserted room.

"Relax my friend," the general spoke, patting his red-headed friend on a shoulder. "You always trusted in me, now trust in my father."

Much has been going on with the colonel all week but never once had the general doubted him. Alone, he began to ponder his own actions, on how difficult he's been on his superiors and more importantly, his own men. A light flickered on inside his mind, a memory of his friend being strict on the mission at hand. Understanding his anger was causing him to walk a dangerous line; Colonel DeAnthony breathed deeply and left the room and his anger behind him.


	5. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**The Two Worlds**

A day has passed since his escape from his entire world and into one that seemed clean and well in a process of working with the planet rather than taking the planet's power by force. Living in Midgar ever since he was born, the escapee never felt the sun on his face or the sounds of children at play. Where were the thugs that hid in every corner or drug dealers pumping poison into the young? Where were the prostitutes that would pleasure his body for hours on end, for only twenty gil? Where was all the blasted materia?

As the con continued his line of thoughts, he brought forth the only materia he managed to get before they all vanished from this world. It sparkled a brilliant red in his hand but that was all it did. The compression of a thousand years of Mako mixed with the DNA of a beast created this beautiful rock but without the name of the creature he couldn't summon it.

He was a loner, a drifter, and a traveler it seemed to a new world. The con needed no one but he couldn't ignore the constant stares he felt from the people of this world. It could be his paranoia—a feeling that he didn't belong here—that made him believe that he was being singled out. How he wished he at least knew one person in this world, but it was not to be.

The moment he passed a large window from the nearest pub, a man was shocked to see him, spitting out the whiskey he was just going to swallow. How his eyes widened as if he just saw a specter just walk right by. It took more than a double take for the man to believe what he just saw. Pulling his friend's sleeve from the bar, the man pointed towards the window while muttering undecipherable words. His friend shrugged him away.

"Rude, it's… it's him," Reno continued to point out the window. Rude just grunted; as if it didn't matter, not that he knew what his friend was talking about.

Rude downed the rest of his beer as Reno sprinted out of the pub after the man he saw no more than a minute ago. With a sigh, Rude rubbed his bald head before he calmly started walking after his friend. Outside, Reno rushed the man who was very much real. Jumping in front of the con, Reno grabbed him by both of his shoulders and gave the man a strong shake. Though his clothes were worn, his face hasn't seen a razor in years, and his hair was unkept, there was no mistake.

"Sir, you're alive!" Reno smiled broadly to the man.

It was alarming as a stranger would just sneak up on him but it was even more unbelievable that the colonel was right in front of him. Colonel DeAnthony had him, possibly trapped and ready to call for back up. More fluently than Reno even thought possible, the con slipped under the Turk's grasp and a quick jab to Reno's gut had the Turk doubling over in pain. If the con shot higher, he would've broken some ribs. Spinning gracefully around, the con kicked high to take out whoever was coming to aid the colonel.

The spinning heel kick was faster than Rude expected but the Turk managed to get an arm up to block it. They stood in that pose, a man with his foot blocked, for several moments. Rude couldn't believe that this man had so much strength as to numb his arm. Reno's cough had them breaking their stance.

"Good shot Mr. President," Reno coughed as he rubbed his gut on the ground.

"Mr. President?" the con echoed, raising an eyebrow at that. "What are you talking about?"

"You are Rufus Shinra aren't you?" the red-headed Turk questioned.

This realization had the con thinking quickly. He was Rufus Shinra but these two thought he was a figure of power in this world. He had to think which would have more potential. Telling them his name or to play ignorant. He chose the latter, hoping he would get further information.

"I'm sorry; I don't really know who I am. Do I know you?" the con asked, quite confused.

"Amnesia, huh? Damn, that sucks. Hey Rude, do you think the explosion had anything to do with the president losing his memory?"

Rude just shrugged at his fellow Turk. While Reno's attention was to Rude, the fake president couldn't hold back his grin. By the time Reno looked back, Rufus returned his face to one of confusion and concern.

"E-explosion! I remember a flash of light," Rufus lied.

"Ah man, he really doesn't remember," the red-headed Turk said while shaking his head.

"Hey, don't worry about it," the con smiled as he draped an arm around Reno and another arm around Rude. "Why don't you two buy me a drink and tell me everything. Maybe something will come to me?"

* * *

"Detective Valentine, is he really Cloud?" Zack asked the moment the two exited the ShinRa mansion.

"At this time I have no reason to doubt that. Now we have something to take care of," the detective replied while moving back to the mansion to talk to the colonel and general about their next step.

"Lookin' good, Cloud," Zack nudged his friend's doppelganger, "I didn't know you admired me so. Same jump suit, same walk," the first class SOLDIER paused for a moment, his voice turning sober as he drew a sword from behind him, "Same sword? I specially had this blade designed for me. This replica looks identical, how is that possible?"

The former SOLDIER would've been happy to answer Zack and how dearly he wanted to talk with his friend once again but Cloud knew that right now wasn't the time to tell anyone anything. Instead, Cloud just put a friendly hand on Zack's shoulder and gave him a kind smile and in return, Zack also smiled and handed the blade to his friend without further questioning.

"What the hell are you doing, soldier?" Colonel DeAnthony barked. "Giving a suspect a weapon is a violation of—"

"Enough, colonel," Sephiroth interrupted while walking up between Zack and Cloud.

Zack snapped to attention as his superior was before him but Cloud only snapped a dark glare at him. He never gave his word not to attack Sephiroth but Cloud admired Detective Valentine's read on people. How dearly Cloud wanted to cleave the general in half but Vincent knew him well, somehow, that the warrior wouldn't jeopardize his mission again for personal gain. One day was gone and he couldn't waste anymore time.

"I just got a message from the professor. He'll be at the phenomena before us. Cloud," Detective Valentine turned to the blonde warrior. "Will you take point since you know where the phenomenon is?"

He never really thought about his actions before it was too late. With a nod, Cloud began leading the way. Under his breath, he let out a curse. Never did Cloud _say_ he knew where the rift was but Detective Valentine knew. Somehow, the detective knew. So the warrior moved on to the Nibel mountain range trail.

It took roughly an hour for the party of five to get around the mountains to reach the rift. It felt like déjà vu all over again to Cloud. Sephiroth, Zack, he, and two others were traveling through these very mountains. Leading them to the rift could be worse than not. Again, Cloud put the thought out of his mind, thinking more of what new twist may lie beyond the bend.

Cloud's jaw dropped along with his sword as he saw the second group of people that were between a helicopter and the rift. As the group—four in number—turned around, Cloud's chest felt like it was going to burst. The first one he saw was Sephiroth's biological mother, Lucrecia, wearing a white lab coat and beside her was her mentor, the great Professor Gast and his wife, the Ancient, Ifalna, who was wearing a long, beautifully fashioned pink dress. It was the last one that truly held him in place. The moment Aeris's beautiful, smiling face turned to see them, Cloud's felt himself falling. Yes, the world was twisted but this one individual made the warrior know that this world couldn't be a bad one.

Staring at the warrior with anticipation, Aeris ran from her parents, straight for Cloud with her arms wide open. Her long braid bounced with every step she took and her smile reminded Cloud of how much brighter the world could be. Cloud couldn't believe it, she was alive. The warrior slowly lifted his arms for her. She ran right by him.

The twinge of betrayal was hard on him and had the warrior turning on his heels to see where she went. How quickly his anger melted as Aeris embraced her boyfriend, Zack. The greatest regret in Cloud's life was that he was unable to tell Aeris about Zack in his world. In this world though, he was relieved the two lovers never parted and that the Cloud of this world didn't have to go through the pain he still carried to this day.

"Professor Gast," the detective began as he took the professor's hand in his for a firm shake. "Good to see you again and I'm glad you brought my lovely wife. That was a very pleasant surprise. I have my own surprise. I give you Cloud Strife, whom I believe came through that thing."

_Un-be-lievable,_ thought the warrior, turning to face the detective. _How does he know so much?_

"Ah, I see. Good. I've been pondering this phenomenon for a good two hours and I have yet to even make a hypothesis. Mr. Strife, if you came through here, could you please tell us what you think this is?" the professor asked the warrior directly.

"I have no idea what it is. My friend said that it was a rift in time—"

"Yes, that's it! With the time materia Shinra had, he must've manipulated the quantum fabric of time, thus creating a rift."

"—I believe my friend is wrong. He said I would step into the past or future. I feel that," the warrior paused to glance at the walking dead around him. "I'm in a whole different world."

"Actually, you're friend and yourself both maybe right," Lucrecia observed.

"Care to enlighten the one's who don't have a clue?" Sephiroth asked kindly. Cloud wanted this mystery solved as well but it was the sound in Sephiroth's voice that held the warrior's interest. Sephiroth did sound kind, truly compassionate. He sounded… not at all like Sephiroth.

"Of course son. You see, every second is a moment in time. Whatever happens in those individual seconds defines what the future will hold for that moment in time. However, each moment has a countless number of possible outcomes, possible futures. Instead of stepping through time, Cloud stepped through to another dimension. It's the same day, same year in Cloud's dimension but his and our presents are two separate outcomes from one or thousands of possible actions from a past moments in time."

"Mother, you lost me at moment in time. I agree with Cloud's thoughts on this issue. This is a rift between worlds. It's simpler that way," Sephiroth replied with a placid smile. Lucrecia grinned and shrugged.

"So what're the differences about our world from yours?" Zack asked the warrior, though the first class SOLDIER had no idea what was going on.

"All but one of you," Cloud began, lifting his gaze to Colonel DeAnthony, "are dead."

That got everyone's attention and silence. All eight encircled the foreigner, waiting for him to say more but what could he really say and why did it matter? If knowing what happened to them in his world would do this world or these people any good, he would tell their individual fates.

"Cloud, you have some animosity towards my son. For us to work together, it would be best to tell us what happened that made your world so different from our own," the detective peacefully stated. Cloud couldn't figure out if it was his gentle voice, or that he was a friend, or if it was Vincent's detective observational skills that got Cloud to tell them everything.

"Alright, Professor Gast, you were assassinated. While escaping a lab in Midgar, Ifalna, you sacrificed yourself to save your daughter's life, who was later skewered by Sephiroth, who didn't want anyone to stop him from destroying my planet. Zack, you were shot to death by soldiers when you tried to help me get to Midgar. Lucrecia, after giving birth to a soon-to-be god, you locked yourself away behind a waterfall to haunt the rest of your days. Some friends of mine and me stopped your evil plans Sephiroth and your freak of a 'mother' Jenova. You," Cloud took a long, deep breath while pointing at Detective Valentine. "You were shot by Hojo. You're kinda dead. Hojo messed with you DNA. You're… alive. Just not… human."

An eerily silence followed. If it was night, crickets would be heard off in the distance. All took a step back from the warrior, all except the detective and the colonel. All three men were deep in thought.

"Hojo… I killed him in our world before Sephiroth was born. I couldn't stand what he was doing to my Lucrecia and the innocent child in her womb. After Hojo's death, I took Lucrecia and Sephiroth away from ShinRa. I gave up being a Turk and we went into hiding," Vincent recalled his past clearly, one that resulted in taking another man's life. It seemed hard for the detective to continue so the general placed a loving hand on his father's shoulder and continued where he left off.

"Vincent took me in as his own son. Together, we planned a coup against the ShinRa Corporation. My dad was on the outside, with a rebel force called the Green Operation while I climbed the ladder in SOLDIER on the inside until we were strong enough to attack ShinRa, both in arms and political standpoints," the general finish giving his father a strong shake.

"So it was Hojo that was the deciding factor. Not killing him was your greatest sin, Vincent," Cloud said but he pondered his own words a little bit longer. Hojo, he was the source of it all. The mad scientist set into motion so many events that cost everyone who he knew here, their lives. And as one man destroyed all those lives, the inaction of another was equally to blame. _No wonder Vincent feels the way he feels._

"Cloud," a voice beckoned. Though it was Sephiroth's voice, Cloud wasn't as enraged as he once was. Coming out of his reverie, the warrior only answered the general with a simple 'hm?'

"You said I was going to destroy your planet. How?"

"Hojo kept pumping Jenova cells in you and when you came to Nibelheim one day, you were called, powerfully too, to the creature Jenova. The creature may have poisoned your mind, _may have,_" the warrior stretched those last two words out. "Later on, you summoned a great meteor that almost destroyed my planet."

"What about me?" the colonel asked, drawing Cloud away from the shocked general.

"You," Cloud turned to the colonel. "You're a prick."

That tightened the face of the already strong soldier. DeAnthony was grateful that he was alive in the other world—why, he didn't know—but the lack of respect he got from Cloud spoke volumes. Whatever he was in the other world, he obviously never worked hard for the respect he got in his own world.

For most of that afternoon, they talked about the two worlds, (or as Gast and Lucrecia called, dimensions) in more details that may help them figure out how to close the rift. It didn't take long for Cloud to believe that these people, Sephiroth included, were allies in his fight to stop this new threat. Cloud also came to realize that this rift didn't just put his world into danger but this other world as well. The warrior knew that his determination to stop the rift from growing has just doubled.


	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**Representatives of Their World**

Patience was never the warrior's best asset but he practiced the virtue well enough. Though the group didn't get much out of the talk about their respected worlds and sealing the tear, they did decide that Rufus had to be in Cloud's world. The con, what Cloud had heard many times before, became a scientist at a very young age, working with materia and how to further the power within the rocks. However, five years ago the genius found two things that transformed his life. He figured out that he was a Shinra, thus a living heir to the ShinRa company and he found Hojo's hidden notes.

Ever since, Rufus experimented at creating a perfect soldier, infusing their bodies with the toxic Mako and teaching those soldiers how to use their Mako blood to bring forth the chaotic power of the materia. Secretly building an army within ShinRa Corporation, Rufus wanted to reclaim his birthright. Sephiroth and Green Operation managed to stop that coup long before the traitor even was ready for his secret war.

It didn't surprise Cloud that ShinRa Corporation still ran the world, even though with a much more gentler hand and the business continued to pump Mako from two locations; one in Midgar and the other, amazingly enough, in the reactor that seems to still work in Gongaga. After Cloud's story though, the warrior felt he reached the right ears this day to change this world for the better, how pumping Mako is far too dangerous to people and the planet.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second," Cloud asked kindly to this world's Aeris when they were finally alone.

"Uh huh," she replied sweetly, skipping lightly to the warrior.

Cloud couldn't believe how hard it was for him to breath. His heart began to pound like a jackhammer. She looked exactly like Aeris, acted just like her and it took more than remembering that she was not his Aeris for him to quit gawking at the woman. Clearing his throat, Cloud knew he could do this.

"Cloud?" Aeris said while she tilted her head slightly. "Was I really as important as you said?"

"More so. Your double gave her life to save my planet and I felt her spirit save us all from Meteor. All of Aeris's friends miss her and wished things could've been different, that she didn't have to be a martyr to stop Sephiroth," the warrior said.

"Okay. So… what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I fell in love with you," Cloud began but changed his wording around from the expression he saw on the woman's face. "My Aeris. No one really thought that I cared for her so, but I did well to hide it."

"Did she return those feelings?"

"Yes…" Cloud trailed of for a moment to shake his head. "No, no she didn't. She believed she loved me because I reminded her of her dead boyfriend, Zack. Not just how I looked but how I acted drew Aeris to me. I stole Zack's identity for I was too much of a coward to except my own life. I… I never had the chance to apologize to Aeris, or to Zack. I—"

A gentle hand pressed against the warrior's lips. The woman smiled and gazed into the mystical eyes of the warrior. His heart leapt at the sight of that smile. A smile he told belonged to an angel and Cloud believed she was an angel on earth.

"Quit beating yourself up. I'm certain that your Aeris and Zack knows what you've done and understands why you done what you've done," the young Ancient soothingly told Cloud, easing his mind with such simple words or perhaps it was her voice that helped him believe those words.

"Alright it is decided!" the colonel spoke loudly so everyone in attendance could hear him. "I will follow Cloud through the rift and together we will apprehend the traitor."

"No. According to my friend, only those with Jenova cells should try the journey," Cloud countered.

"Your friend is wise. It would be safer for someone with the cells of the alien that survived space to walk through a tear in space-time," Professor Gast concurred, nodding his head.

"Then I shall go. I have Jenova cells in me," all eyes turned to the speaker, Sephiroth.

"No way in hell am I bringing you along," Cloud snapped at the general.

"My son goes, Cloud. Our world is in as much danger as your own and I can't think of anyone else more suited to represent our world," Detective Valentine proudly stated.

"Just the sight of him will have everyone in my world gunning for him. And if I have to side with a crazed mob of my world or Sephiroth, well, I'm sure you would know who I'll side with."

"That is a chance I must take," the general said. "I have a duty to my world. I will not stand idly by as my world or yours fall into nothingness, not if there is something I can do to stop it. It is my fault, our fault that Rufus escaped to cause this threat. Give me a chance to atone for that sin."

Cloud just couldn't believe these people. Sephiroth was definitely raised by Vincent for if Cloud wasn't mistaken, he felt he was talking to the ex-Turk. The warrior didn't know if he could trust the general but time was running out. The sun began to crest over the mountains peaks.

"Remember, we need Rufus and the time materia back in our dimension to seal the rift. And since the general will be going with you, we'll need him back as well," Professor Gast pointed out their mission one last time.

Both men nodded. Cloud couldn't believe he was just about to lead Sephiroth into his world but he couldn't fret about it. Side by side, the two men walked through the tear as if they walked though an open door. The general expected something more dramatic. Sephiroth didn't think they went anywhere until a large, sharp tip of a sword prodded against his back.

"I'm not surprised with everything you've told me about your world's hatred about the Sephiroth that tried to destroy everything and everyone. You can't get a better opening," the general explained passively, opening his arms wide.

How Cloud wanted to thrust his Buster Sword through Sephiroth's back and out of his chest. But the warrior knew he couldn't, for this man, though looked and sounded like his dead nemesis, was not the man he hated for all those years. To condemn a man for the sins of another would simply make Cloud a murderer. Cloud knew as well that this was more of a test for him, to see if that he could suffer working with the general.

"What are you about?" the general gently spoke, lowering his arms.

"I will have your word that you will not harm any humans, not even if they pose a threat to you," the warrior angrily commanded.

"You have my word, for the exception of Rufus Shinra," the general replied. The point of the blade left his back and the general turned to the warrior.

"How are we to get over the rift?" Sephiroth asked, looking in both directions.

Cloud turned back to the rift. Red wasn't kidding on how fast the tear in space-time grew. It was a mile long when he entered and now it didn't appear to end as far as he could see. The height didn't seem to have grown but that unnerved the warrior all the more. The rift could have been growing down, down to the planet's core.

"Do you have any rope?" the warrior asked while looking back to the mountain trail.

"Yes, A hundred feet."

"Let's hope it's long enough."

Both men traveled on the trail, up and around a large mountain. Along a cliff, over looking the rift, Cloud began to tie the rope to a rock and the other to the handle of his sword. It looked like he would be cutting the distance to the exposed mountain wall close but he had to try. Pumping his arm several times, Cloud threw his blade as hard as his Mako and Jenova infused arm could.

Luck was with him as the Buster Sword just barely made it to the other mountain, burying itself into the rock. The rope was extremely tight, just the way Cloud needed it. Taking one tender foot after the other, the warrior walked the tightrope like a professional acrobat. Stretching his arms out for balance, it took him only a few seconds to get over the two dimensional portal, which he decided to flip to the side and over the rope to the ground.

Slipping under the rope, Sephiroth began to shimmy across the rift. It took twice as long for the Sephiroth to get over the tear but the general had something else that he needed to do and he couldn't do it unless he was at ta particular angle. Moving all the way to the handle of the sword, the general held onto the handle with one hand as he sliced the rope with Masamune. As the rope fell, Sephiroth sheathed his sword and grabbed Buster with both his hands, pushing himself off the cliff with his legs to remove the sword, the general fell to the ground

Landing gracefully, the general flipped over the sword and extended the handle to the warrior. Cloud accepted his sword back, removing the extra rope while shaking his head. No more than a few minutes ago he threatened the general's life and now either Sephiroth had a very bad short term memory or he was a very understanding soul. His contemplation about the general's character had to wait.

"Cloud, your back—" a soft voice began but drifted off.

"Sephiroth," an eerily voice said matter-of-factly.

Tifa slowly moved around the mountain, inching her way to her friend. Beside her a man cloaked in red remained passive, pointing his gun right at the general. Vincent didn't show any emotion, ready to kill as it was the way it should be. Sephiroth knew by the way there was no love in the man with the gun's eyes that he did step out of his world, having the same shocking effect when Cloud entered his world. All was surprise to see Cloud step in the way of the gun; even himself.

"Cloud, what are you doing?" the martial artist asked, terrified for her friend.

"Seems Cloud been visiting the Lifestream lately," the ex-Turk stated, showing no hint of lowering his weapon. His gun, Death Penalty, would go right through the blonde spiked warrior and into Sephiroth and Vincent wouldn't blink an eye if it had to come to that.

"You're wrong. This isn't Sephiroth or at least our Sephiroth. You both trusted me before, trust me now," Cloud begged.

Tifa was more than ready but still very concern for her friend's well being but she agreed by smiling and nodding her head. Vincent, however, never lowered his gun. In fact, that little spill the warrior just gave made the ex-Turk squeeze his trigger a bit. It was so unlike Cloud to ever side with Sephiroth. Unlike Tifa, Cloud couldn't play with Vincent's emotions; he just plain didn't have any.

"The sins of our fathers," the general began while walking passed Cloud and Tifa, heading towards the ex-Turk, "should not reflect the sins of his sons."

How wide Vincent eyes widened at that. It was something that he used to say, before Hojo experimented with him. It was distant in his memory but it was there; something real, something tangible of his past. How he wanted to hold onto that memory and feel the way he once was. So lost in his own thoughts, Vincent never saw Sephiroth pass him by, heading straight for Nibelhiem.

"Vincent?" Tifa called and the look on her face told the ex-Turk that it wasn't the first time she said his name.

"How…" Vincent trailed off, wondering how Sephiroth would know anything about his past.

The four entered Nibelhiem with the general up front with Tifa and Cloud right behind him. Keeping a firearm distance away, Vincent followed behind them all. The reactions from the awaiting AVALANCHE members were very similar from earlier. Nanaki growled low, keeping his head down. Cid and Berret shouted obscene profanities before pointing their respected weapons at their very alive archenemy. Other than halting in place, Sephiroth showed no sign of malice.

"Guys, we don't have time for this. Red, you know we have a day left, if that, before we're all doomed. Now chill out," the warrior commanded. Nanaki did back down and Berret relaxed his arm.

"Did you find the thief?" Cloud asked the three.

Almost on cue, a huge explosion had everyone in the city off their feet. Sephiroth and Cloud were the first ones back up, drawing their impossibly huge swords at the ready. As everybody else scrambled to their feet, Sephiroth was warning everyone in Nibelhiem to stay indoors. Almost every head turned to Sephiroth as he instructed each citizen of Nibelhiem back into their home. The only head that didn't have Sephiroth's attention was Cid, seeing smoke billowing from the city's entrance.

"No," the pilot weakly whispered before running out of Nibelhiem. The AVALANCHE crew followed soon after.

"No, no, no, no, no," Cid repeated before his knees couldn't support him from the shock of the scene.

Lying in ruin was the once beautiful aircraft, the _Highwind_. The crew was lucky, they were in town relaxing but that didn't seem to ease the heavy heart the pilot. His pride and joy was no more. Cid pinched himself, hoping that the act would wake him from this nightmare but the pilot felt the sharp pain and the incredible heat emanating from the destroyed aircraft.

"What? How? What the fu—"

"This… thing… may hold some answers," the general interrupted, holding out a black, robotic cat.

"Ah, ha, ha, ha. Did you see that Rude. Biggest explosion I've ever seen…" a male voice began from the Cait Sith.

"Enough Reno, they may hear you," a female voice interrupted.

"Why you little piece of…" the pilot began, grabbing the robot and giving it a hard shake.

"Turn off the robot, it served our purpose," another voice said, one that had more than one person shaking their head in disbelief.

The moment the command was issued, the Cait Sith fell limp in the pilot's hands. Tossing the robot to the side, Cid lit a cigarette. He needed one; first from the rift, then from Sephiroth and now the destruction of his aircraft. It was all just too much. Almost like in a trance, the pilot got off the ground, dusted himself off and started walking away in no specific direction.

"Rufus," the general said as the pilot left, remembering the last voice from the Cait Sith very clearly.

"Wha?" That can't be. He's been blown to kingdom come," Berret said.

The general wasn't listening to the large man. Turning to the warrior, Sephiroth nodded to the warrior. They've found their target. If Cloud could figure out where Rufus was, their mission would end along with the danger to their worlds. Cloud answered the general silent question with a smirk and a nod.


	7. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

**The Capital Dianchet**

"I don't think your friends approved of me taking the only other means of transportation!" Sephiroth had to scream over the revving of his own motorcycle heading down the road at 70 miles per hour.

Cloud wasn't listening anyways. Riding his motorcycle next to the general felt wrong, yet he still went against his better judgment. The warrior was willing to risk his life by siding with this other worldly Sephiroth but he wouldn't have anyone else, especially Tifa, ride with him to the new capital of Dianchet. Breaking the final leg of the ride to the city, Cloud slowed down to tell his companion that he was going to stop. Over the ridge, both men gazed upon the large city of windmills.

"New source of energy?" the general asked, admiring the simple, clean way to make energy, even if it was a slow process.

Again, Cloud ignored him. All seemed as it should be but the warrior felt something creeping inside his very being that screamed danger. He thought about how he left the conversation with his friend Reeves and only guilt washed over him.

"Regret is a dangerous enemy that one must fight alone," Sephiroth stated, drawing the warrior's attention for the first time since Nibelhiem.

"What do you know of regret?"

The general just turned to the capital city. His past was a bloody one and one which was best buried. Regret was an enemy that always struck him without warning, remembrance of soldiers he had to leave behind to save the greater number was only one of his sins. The general's father, Detective Valentine, gave him a weapon to fight that enemy.

"Always be slow to anger for you never know when your last moments with someone will be," Sephiroth began, revving his bike. "And know that things that are beyond you, you must not feel guilty for but understand why they happened and to learn from them."

Cloud was literally stunned about the sympathy in those words, coming from such an unlikely man. Instead of pushing the general, Cloud let it go, revving his own motorcycle. Off they went with the warrior leaving his guilt behind.

They were greeted immediately by a SOLDIER robot guard, driving out of a concealed alley. The resonance of gunfire had the civilians fleeing in terror, the memory of ShinRa's tyrannical power fresh in their minds. Hundreds of bullets shot out of its double barrels. Hundreds of bullets being deflected by Buster and Masamune. The contraption didn't understand how its targets kept coming and how they crossed in front of it, slicing it in quarters.

Cloud couldn't understand where that military war machine was doing in Dianchet, especially after Reeves passed a law to keep those machines of war out of the populace during peace time. Somehow, Cloud guess, Rufus managed to get his foot deep into the Centrants government door. His belief was finalized as several more war machines and even a fair amount of soldiers flocked from concealed areas to block their path.

True to his word, the general turned a sharp right, avoiding any path that would lead to endangering any human life. However, a grin did cross the general's face as he drove passed and through another machine that did not live. Using his Jenova infused strength, Sephiroth pulled back the bike's handles, lifting the motorcycle's front tire. Up the nearest fire escape the general went.

Cloud, on the other hand, didn't take such a pledge to protect the well being of any soldier. A line of soldiers stood tall and firm, rifles pointed at the warrior. There was hesitance in their stance, unsure if they could fire at the one that saved them and their family from Meteor. That moment was all Cloud needed.

Mako enflamed his eyes as he summoned his spiritual power into his blade. A shine of blue traveled up his hand and all the way up the warrior's sword. Cocking back his arm, the warrior cut through the wind itself, sending two huge vortexes at the soldiers, carrying them far away from the battlefield.

Cloud drove on, dodging some waves of bullets, blocking other. Turning right, into a narrow alley, the warrior avoided the mass melee, only to be pinned in by two armed robot guardians. The warrior meant to halt his bike but a flying object of black moved off the nearest roof, flashing an instant of silver, over the two robots. Both machines fell apart, not slowing the warrior's progress.

Sephiroth landed after taking care of the ambush that was meant for Cloud. Driving hard, the general slashed out with Masamune, taking care of bots after bots. Nothing could stop him. Turning left, into the main street, Sephiroth changed his way of thinking as a soldier holding a bazooka was aimed directly at him.

The general revved the bike harder, heading straight for that soldier. Seeing with his superior eyesight, the general saw the soldier squeeze the trigger. Flipping backwards, off the bike, the general was pushed back further as an explosion of a missile completely eradicated the vehicle. The general's flip ended with him landing on the front chrome of Cloud's motorcycle.

Out came two more tornadoes, creating a gap in the defenses of the army. Any robot that advanced on them was immediately chopped down by Masamune. Both the general and warrior took the army down by the unit, until neither man nor bot wanted to get in their way. They closed into the large white building where Cloud believed his friend was imprisoned. A hidden landmine took them both off the bike.

The general arched his back, excepting the force from the explosion. He didn't know were he would land and he didn't expect to be blown threw a strong wooded door. Sephiroth wasn't surprised that his body was free of wooden splinters and that the impact only left his chest bruised, where any other man would've had several busted ribs. These were the only times when he was grateful for the curse of Jenova that he would always make into a blessing.

"It is him," a gentle but stern feminine voice spoke.

Sephiroth dusted himself off before he decided to move into the building. The general didn't know what to expect and it sure wasn't what lied before his eyes.

"You're right. Man, why are we stuck with him," Reno whined after walking into the hall followed shortly by his blonde hair, female companion.

"We finally get our chance to avenge, Tseng," Elena sneered, turning to the general.

Sephiroth sighed.

* * *

The blast took Cloud off his seat and high into the air and into the second floor window. If he was a foot lower or higher, he would've slammed headlong into the wall. Though luck was with him, it wasn't exactly good. He was spared being crushed only to have quite a few shards of glass all up his arms.

With a groan, the warrior picked himself up, wishing he kept a Cure materia on hand. It didn't matter anyway; though the damage was uncomfortable it was still minimal. With his wounds being minor, Cloud was now ready to tear the building apart for the safety of Reeves and the head of Rufus. A noise from behind had him spinning on his heels, holding Buster at the ready. Before him stood the agile and strong Turk, Rude, with his arms crossed over his huge chest.

With a nod, the Turk simply said, "Cloud."


	8. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**Ground Zero**

Every grenade in the ShinRa military always has a four second delay. Normally, three seconds in the air gave the projectile just one second for an enemy to run or duck for cover before the mini bomb would explode and destroy everything in the immediate area. The general never ran nor would he duck. In a devastating blur, Sephiroth snatched the grenade in mid-flight and spun around, tossing the bomb out the door. A split second later, an explosion was heard in the proximity.

Reno came in a second later, raising his metal baton. Reno was no soldier, light in weight and stature; he knew he could not hope to put enough strength behind his weapon to do any real damage. He was cocky and full of pride and that attitude was what kept him from agreeing to receive a Mako infusion. Yet, with all of his faults, Reno was a trained Turk. A fact that was lost to the general, expecting an honorable combat against a fellow warrior.

Pulling back at the last possible moment, before Masamune could parry the rod, Reno came back out, flashing a brilliant light into the sensitive eyes of the general. The blinding flash had Sephiroth reeling, exposing his sternum, which Reno took advantage of. The Turk was no soldier, had no strength to break any bones but he was precise in his craft. With pinpoint accuracy, the Turk slammed the point of his baton into Sephiroth's chest, over his heart, before releasing three thousand volts of electricity into the general.

Usually, such an attack would have stopped the heart but Sephiroth was beyond human. Falling back, the general tried to shake the spots in his eyes at the same time trying to keep a distance from the Turk. Gunfire had him jumping high into the air, rolling on the ground, anything to keep him as a moving target. Sephiroth had to believe that if he wasn't bound by honor, these two would still be difficult foes to battle. But he was bound by honor to not harm another human being. He regretted that promise as a bullet skimmed his calf. With a shrug, he shook away the regret, even after Reno got another cheap shot right in his gut.

* * *

They faced off, sword against… well against a human weapon. Rude was proficient in the arts martial and next to Tifa, the Turk was the best hand to hand fighter in the world. Rude remained cool and collective with his sunshades covering his eyes and his arms crossed over his broad chest. Though he seemed defenseless in his non-threatening stance, Cloud knew better. Though the Turk didn't have any Mako in his veins, he was naturally strong and agile. He could jump into a defensive stance, deflect any of the warrior's attacks, and counter with an overwhelming punch.

"Rude," Cloud simply reply with a nod.

The Turk neither moved nor spoke back to the warrior. Cloud got him to move as he was trying to get around the martial artist. Whenever the warrior sidestepped to the left, Rude mirrored him, blocking the warrior passage and it was the same when he stepped to the right. Cloud could outfight the Turk but out of all the Turks, the warrior respected Rude. The Turk was a professional who did his job, did what he was told. Cloud could use that.

"He's not Rufus, you know?" Cloud stated, expecting a response though Rude made no physical reaction, the quiet man did speak.

"I know," he simply answered.

"You know?" the warrior was puzzled by that but quickly regained his composure. "If you know he's a fake, why stand in my way?"

"Reno believes…" the Turk trailed off and than shrugged like it didn't matter.

But it did matter, to Cloud at least. He knew that the Turks were close, both professionally and personally with each other, thus made them one of AVALANCHE's greatest enemies and rivals. The Turks knew the importance of friendship and trust within their ranks. It was the main reason why they kept surviving against the AVALANCHE's encounters. Cloud lowered his sword.

"Help me find Reeve. Together, we can help Reno see Rufus as the imposer that he is," the warrior pleaded.

Rude began to shake his head but stopped short. Maybe it was the years of no missions or the fact he failed to convince Reno that this new man couldn't be the former president, which made him decide to trust Cloud. With a nod, the Turk looked at his watch and slowly turned around and started walking down the hall. Cloud followed.

* * *

"Damn it, he's quick," Elena curse while continuing her assault on the general.

Indeed, he was quick, blocking bullets and batons alike and was even fast enough to dodge some bullets. Both Turks thought it unusual that the murderer was hesitant to attempt to fight back. Instead of using the deadly and legendary blade to slice Reno in half, he appeared to only care for defending himself.

"DeAnthony, I command you to stop this soldier!" the general shouted in the Turk's face.

Reno couldn't believe the tone in Sephiroth's voice. The familiarity with his last name and as if he has commanded him before. Then there was the last word. Reno never met Sephiroth until after the murder of the former ShinRa president and surely he never joined SOLDIER. SOLDIER was just too much work for the Turk.

"Heh, what makes you think I'll take orders from you, traitor," Reno mocked, swinging his baton at Sephiroth, which was easily deflected by Masamune.

"Because—" the general attempted to say, only to block a couple bullets.

"Aren't you traitors to your county too? I mean, kidnapping the president of all people?"

Reno ceased his assault, baffled by the man. Sephiroth's words not only held his hand but actually made him draw back. The general locked him with a stare while deflecting more bullets. Sephiroth found a weapon to fight back against these foes without harming them.

"Wait, no. Rufus is the true—"

"Reeve Wadsworth is the president of Centrant. The governments of the past are irrelevant…" Sephiroth halted by batting another grenade away from him. The general hoped he was getting through to this man as the rage continued to build in the women in the distance that almost endangered her comrade's life.

"…to the government of today. Treason. The penalty for that is still death, right?"

Reno took a step back, truly at a lost with that. Was he a traitor to his country? The Turk has done many terrible things in his line of work but they were orders back up by the law. Now, it seemed to the young man, that he was in deep. Perhaps too deep into trouble to get out of.

"Don't listen to him! It's SEPHIROTH!" Elena cried firing two more rounds before hearing her gun _clicked_ empty.

Elena's words, plain and simple, shattered the general's wise words. Reno attacked again, sending shocks from his baton but none of the attack could strike home. The parries from Masamune were getting to the Turk, slowly was he tiring and the legendary general was picking up momentum.

"Enough," a voice commanded from behind the two combatants.

Together they turned to see Elena with her hands behind her head. She wore an expression of intense rage but she was at the mercy of the man holding a broad sword behind her. Cloud wouldn't harm the female Turk, under his guarantee to Rude that both Reno and Ellena be stopped without harm but she didn't need to know that.

"Do you have her, Reeve?" the warrior asked his friend beside him.

"Yeah, you two get going," the president answered, pushing a barrel of a gun into Elena's back.

Reeve had no idea what was going on, especially with Sephiroth and Rufus being alive and the old Turks kidnapping him, tying him up in his own office, using his Cait Sith to destroy his friend's airship or anything else that's been going on but he figured he would get his answers in time. The president trusted his friend and he knew what he needed to do to help him. Keep the Turks off their back.

Reno took a step back, relieved that Sephiroth ran away with Cloud. Still, he didn't understand any of it. Why was the Destroyer of Life alive and doing everything in his power to avoid fighting with him and why did it feel like Sephiroth, a man he barely knew, seemed to have had a connection with him? It didn't matter, since now all Reno cared about that he was alive after fighting such a dangerous foe. He needed a drink.

Getting to the roof was a long time coming but neither the warrior nor the general was winded when running up the thirteen flights of stairs. As Rude told Cloud, Rufus spent much of his time on the roof, playing with a red summon materia. The warrior only guessed that Rufus might have stolen Bahamut ZERO but how he wished that it wasn't true. It was moot as they reached the top of the white building.

"So General Sephiroth. You'll even travel through space and time to hunt me down. That's… so typical of a Valentine," the con said with a nonchalant smirk.

"Rufus Shinra," Sephiroth began, pointing Masamune's tip straight at his target. "You are under arrest for high treason in not one but two governments. Twenty-three count of murder. Several crimes against humanity and playing God to the men who trusted you and you just used them as lab rats."

"Speaking about playing God, did you know you were a god in this dimension? Yes, the honorable General Sephiroth Valentine was nothing more than a power craved god, setting his sights on destroying this world to become even more powerful," Rufus mock, striking a nerve in the general.

"The rift between worlds, you must shut it or else both worlds will be lost in space-time," Cloud begged, opening his arms wide.

"I will not return to my dimension."

"Then you'll die with us all!" Sephiroth shouted.

"Wrong. Before the two dimensions collapse, I'm going to open another tear. I shall live while my enemies shall die," Rufus ended with a maniacal laugh.

"He's out of his mind," the general whispered to his companion.

"Another Hojo," Cloud stated.

"TERRA FLARE!" screamed Rufus at the top of his lungs.

The con shoved a hand into the air and in his fist red sparks flew from the crease's in his fingers. Cloud began to charge before a long sword crossed in front of him. Not surprised by the betrayal, Cloud slammed Masamune out of his way with Buster. The warrior narrowed his eyes at his old nemesis, yet the general was not paying attention. Focused on his prey, Sephiroth knew getting near him in such an advance summoning would be dangerous, even to those infused with Jenova cells. He would have to let it play out.

All went somewhat dark as a colossal figure covered the sun. But it was only for an instant. The legendary creature was being called to its master's side and couldn't delay. The dragon entered the atmosphere with all six of its wings straight behind it, making a dive for the large rooftop. ZERO couldn't sense his weaker counterparts. Something was wrong but the instinctual nature was paled to the supreme power of this summon. It felt different, more forceful and more powerful.

Slamming onto the roof beside its master, ZERO was finally grounded. The ceiling cracked completely in half from the impact of the dragon. Rarely did the dragon actually see the planet on the ground and the smells, oh the smells, almost had the beast flying off. Instead the beast turned to Rufus.

"MASTER, WHAT DO YOU DESIRE?" the dragon asked powerfully.

All three men stared at it with their jaws agape. Rufus was the first to snap out of it but only a little, enough to nod his head. Sephiroth pulled his sword high over his right shoulder in both of his hands, prepared for combat. Cloud tried to hold Buster steady, still shaken by it all.

"I... it talk," the warrior managed to say.

"Rufus pushes the magic in materia to a whole new level. You shouldn't be surprised, not with the rift he made," the general said, unsure how to approach this newest foe.

"Go my pet. There's a town, Nibelhiem that is of no use to me. Nuke it to oblivion," Rufus sweetly asked his new toy into action.

Fire burned inside the warrior's eyes as the beasts stood up to spread its six leathery wings. A deafening cry from the beast had the warrior's ears popping and partly bleeding. The dragon began to take flight but the great legendary man wouldn't have it escape him. Grabbing one of its huge scales, Sephiroth went along for the ride on its tail.

"I got this, you take care of Rufus!" the general screamed, which sounded like a whisper on the wind how far he was already.

Turning to Rufus, Cloud knew another way of stopping the beast. Stop the one who summoned it. Cloud placed himself in a defensive stance. Rufus smirked, pulling out two sawed off barrel shotguns from his white trench coat. They faced off, on a rooftop. _Déjà vu,_ thought the warrior.


	9. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**Sword and Guns**

Flipping Buster in a figure eight, Cloud managed to avoid two direct hits from the shotguns. Rufus had distance and still could use his Time materia to open another rift. The warrior kept his actions on the defense and only taking a few steps forward. Cloud could've closed that gap at any moment but any too surprising moves could have his opponent panic and use his materia. The guns fired, Cloud deflected them with his sword and he inched forward some more.

A sudden move from the con caught the warrior off guard. With inhumanly speed, Rufus grinned before dropping a shotgun and reaching out with his hand. The arm extended to the warrior, ten feet away, wrapping the warrior with long fingers around his throat. Slashing at the arm was pointless, as if Cloud was striking iron at the abominable limb. The warrior kept striking anyways.

_Why didn't I see it? Red said that only those with Jenova cells could survive space and time. So of course he has Jenova cells in him. Damn it all._

Up the warrior went, hanging by his neck in the air. Buster continued its weak attempt to dig into the arm. Cloud, consciousness leaving him, still was able to trust his instincts as he aligned Buster in time to deflect another shot. Taking a hold of the large hand, the warrior lifted himself up to get some air into his lungs.

Cloud waited, biting his tongue to remain awake. His chance needed to come soon and it was a long shot. It sounded far, far away but the warrior thought he heard laughter. However, it was the second sound that drew the last bit of his consciousness back to the now. Angling Buster, the shotgun bullets were reflected, right into the Jenova arm.

A wave of oxygen entered into Cloud's body, causing a sudden, fiery pain in the warrior's chest as Rufus released him. Shaking the splotches out of his eyes, the warrior charged the man and his bloodied limb. Taking another chance, the warrior leapt straight into the air with both his hands over his head, with Buster ready for a chop. Rufus took aim and fired, clipping the Cloud's shoulder but it couldn't stop the warrior's attack. The warrior came down, severing Rufus's blocking, Jenova arm.

Rufus sneered at the brave move that could've got this soldier killed but his stub told him it was more than worth it. The con wouldn't stay against this man, this beast. Turning, the con ran off the building and onto a cable leading down. Sliding down the line as if it was ice, the fake president turned his arm around and fired at the warrior. But he wasn't on the roof anymore.

If not for the Jenova cells in his body, Rufus would've missed the flash of steel from beside and behind him. That flash was all that the con needed to see to move his gun to his back, blocking the sword. Cloud pulled back Buster as he glided on an adjacent cable, swinging the blade low for Rufus's legs, which was blocked by the shotgun again. Buster came back and came forward for a pierce attack but Rufus ducked, shooting behind him and hoping to hit the warrior.

The shot was too wide but it had the warrior jumping onto Rufus's cable, which they continued their battle. Cloud swung hard with Buster at any angle he could get but was easily deflected by the shotgun barrel in Rufus's hand. However, by the same token, any chance Rufus had to fire point blank at this blonde man was stopped by the width of Buster. On they went and down they came. The con took aim for Cloud, which had the warrior predictably prepared to block but in an instant, Rufus shot at their cable and leapt to safety to the adjacent cable. The con laughed as Cloud fell and he turned his head to see the next roof where the cord ended.

The warrior fell, grabbing hold to the split cable, swinging hard and fast to the next building. A split second before he hit the wall, Cloud kicked out with his feet, propelling himself back and up. As he came up from behind the fake president, the warrior thrust his foot out, kicking Rufus right between the shoulders and onto the next roof. Regaining his footing, Cloud rode the connected cable to the roof.

"So, Sephiroth's lackey has some moves," Rufus mocked, spitting out some blood. "No wonder the noble general left you to me instead of having you fight ZERO. Truly, you are Sephiroth's clone."

That last remark held Cloud in place but only for a moment. It didn't matter what this madman thought. He needed to get to the summon materia and dismiss Bahamut ZERO before it was too late for his friends. The warrior stalked the con, deflecting another futile shot.

"I know you, Cloud Strife. I know you were a failed experiment, a failed Sephiroth! I know everything about—" Rufus was cut off as the warrior chopped through the barrel of the shotgun and ducked under Rufus's Jenova severed arm. Back the warrior came, slamming the flat end of Buster behind the skull of the man.

"You can't know me," Cloud said with a shrug as the con fell into unconsciousness. "I don't even know myself."

But what Cloud did know was that his friends were in immediate danger. Before he could do anything, he had business that needed attending. Taking out a syringe from one of his pockets, Cloud pumped a thin, blue liquid into the neck of Rufus. Once it was empty, the warrior refilled the needle and pumped more of the fluid directly into the cons body. Three more times the warrior did this.

_There. That's enough tranquillizer to put down an entire herd of elephants. So even with his Jenova cells, he'll still be out for a few hours._

That done, the warrior searched the con and found both materias and both rocks were shining more brightly than Cloud has ever seen, with the Time materia glowing green and the summon materia glowing red. Taking the summon materia in hand the warrior thrust it and his fist into the air. Falling into the stone, Cloud felt the connection to the beast and it was still on this plane. Something else the warrior couldn't place, like a pulse that was beyond the warrior's knowledge. However, he didn't have the time to figure it out.

"Bahamut ZERO! You are dismissed!" Cloud cried at the top of his lungs.

The reaction the warrior got wasn't what he had planned. As the materia thought Cloud was a joke, the stone surged with more electricity than the warrior could handle. Cloud dropped the rock. The warrior reached with shaky hands but the stone zapped him away. Cloud couldn't believe what was happening. What was more surprising, the stone brightened almost blindingly and then faded to its normal, dull red shine.

Cloud grabbed the materia and sensed the dragon was back in the stone. That didn't bode well with Nibelhiem. Either the dragon was defeated or he completed his task. He knew he needed to get back to his old hometown on the double. Lifting the fake president over his shoulder, the warrior leapt off the roof.


	10. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

**On Evil Wings**

The great beast ripped through the heavens with such great speed the general has never known in all of his days. If not for his magnificent strength Sephiroth wouldn't be able to hold on let alone climb the scales of the dragon. Hand over hand the general scaled up the dragon with Masamune's handle gripped tightly between his teeth. At the rate they were going, they would reach Nibelhiem within the hour, if not sooner. Sephiroth needed to slow the powerful dragon's progress.

His fingers felt numb at the altitude they were at and his digits were also raw from grabbing unto the ridged finger holds of the beast's scales. Nevertheless, the great man climbed on, riding the beast named after the King of Dragons. Taking a ride on evil wings, the general finally came between the two lowest wings of the set of six the dragon had on its back. Taking Masamune in his right hand, the general held on tightly with his other hand. With as much strength as he could, Sephiroth swung his mystical blade, cutting through the joint as if it was paper. Putting Masamune back into his mouth, he held on for dear life.

How the dragon roar with an ear piercing cry. As his lower right wing fell to the earth the great beast followed in a spiraling dive bomb. It didn't take long for ZERO to regain control of its wings, returning to the skies but it took the dragon a fair bit of time to notice the insect on its back. Reaching back with both of its claws, the dragon tried to snatch the puny human to no avail. Either ZERO's wings were in the way or the man was too much in the center of its back.

"YOU IRRITATING HUMAN! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!" the great beast boomed as it took further to the heaven, spinning around to shake the man off.

It was dizzying as it was painful to hold onto the beast. He was getting cold from the height they were ascending and breathing became even more difficult to the general. Sephiroth knew what the dragon had planned. If the dragon couldn't shake the human off its back, breaking the exosphere surely would. That fact didn't stop the general from climbing.

ZERO ceased his roll, figuring he couldn't pluck the man from his back so the great beast, not of this world and didn't need air to breath, flew even faster up. The human, however, needed oxygen and once in outer space, his would body explode. The beast reached back again, futile to get a hold on the man. It wasn't important as they broke the exosphere and enter the vacuum of space.

A burning pain snapped the serpent like neck around as it saw the insect using his nasty stinger to stab into its back. The general didn't seem to be breathing while his platinum hair was crystallized, but he seemed very much alive. Using the size of the beast and its scales, Sephiroth began walking up the scaly spine; using Masamune to keep him from floating away by digging his blade between the dragon's scales. It was frustrating to the dragon, wanting nothing more than to be free of this man.

The general's head snapped back for just a moment, when an unexpected booming voice entered into his mind. But he recovered quickly, returning to his climb and walk up the dragon, passing the second set of wings without pause. It wasn't surprising to the general that he was still alive. Jenova lived through space so his alien cells must have been keeping him alive. It was also not shocking that no sounds could be heard in space. So the dragon's arrogance could only come through via telepathy.

_YOU ARE FULL OF SURPRISES HUMAN! BUT IT IS OVER! AT THIS HEIGHT I CAN OBLITERATE THE TOWN!_

Sephiroth shoved Masamune in deeply as the dragon straightened, keeping himself attached to the dragon. As ZERO extended his two top wings the general began to crawl around the beast. Once the second set extended out, Sephiroth reached ZERO's chest, looking up at the creature. He needed to stop the dragon before all was lost. Following the magical trail left behind by the dragon, Sphiroth entered into the beast's mind.

_Stop this, now! You call me human as if I'm insignificant but so was the one that summoned you. Why? Why listen to such a creature that's below you?_

The general planned on playing off the dragon's pride. It worked, for a moment. The great beast sneered, confused as what to do. It seemed as if it was battling its nature that of obeying its summoner and its new found intelligence. The general took his opening, burying Masamune into the beast's chest.

The dragon opened its maw but no sound was heard. ZERO charged its breath weapon, aiming somewhere on the planet that only it could see. Sephiroth cursed himself for missing the creature's heart. It was a desperate attempt that he just thought of but Sephiroth was out of options. He waited, waited for his chance to strike. When the beast opened its mouth even wider, Sephiroth set out a blast of lightning with his left hand and floated with a sudden burst of speed towards the creature. As cracks of white energy began to pour out its maw, the beast's jaw clamped shut as Masamune sealed its lower jaw to the roof of its mouth.

The dragon's eyes bulged and rolled down to the human, seeing its own shocks of energy barely leaving its mouth. ZERO felt the energy intensify, begging for release. Between every single scale, light began to seep through as the dragon's body swelled. Sephiroth merely smirked.

* * *

Tifa couldn't help but giggle at her friends Barret, Red, and Cid as they continued to play their game of poker by the well. Only a mile away loomed a threat as great as that of Meteor but none of them seemed worried in the least. Maybe they weren't worried because they believed in Cloud or they believed there was no point in worrying about something that they couldn't stop, even if it is their own demise. Her attention was drawn to her last friend, Vincent, whose gaze was upwards.

Tifa followed her silent friend's eyes, noticing a burning white light as bright as the sun in the sky. But it wasn't the sun as it was behind her as this light was before her. The light brightened more and more and then it slowly dimmed until only an ocean blue sky remained. Before Tifa could turn her head to see what Vincent might have thought it was, a shooting star shot out from the exact spot she was looking at. Whatever fell from the sky, landed somewhere in the Nibel mountain range and Tifa was determine to find it.


	11. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

The groan to the side went silent as the captive was pummeled into submission. The tranquillizer wore off sooner than expected, which didn't bother Cloud in the least as he continued to barrage the con with a punch after a punch. Once Rufus stopped moving, the warrior returned his attention to the road and the jeep he burrowed from Reeve. Around the bend, Cloud released a long, held breath as Nibelhiem was still standing.

Cloud couldn't help but smile as he slung Rufus over his shoulder as he left the jeep, being swarmed by his friends and comrades from AVALANCHE. Barret slapped the warrior on the back as Cid patted him on the shoulder. Red just smiled and nodded while Vincent leaned against the well, not making a move. Finally, Tifa approached, carrying some cloth with a stonewall expression on her face.

"I'm happy to see you all are safe. Bahamut ZERO was on its way to destroy the town and I thought—"

"It almost did," Tifa interrupted weakly, looking to Vincent for support which she knew she wouldn't get. "I saw Bahamut ZERO or at least I saw its Terra Flare in the air. I don't know what happened but I found this after a large explosion lit the sky."

As she began to remove the cloth, the entire AVALANCHE became wide eyed as they saw a severed arm holding Masamune in a death grip. The sight sent a vision or more like a memory into the warrior's head. It felt so real, as the last moments of Sephiroth's life appeared before the warrior. There was no regret in the general's face as he shoved his sword into ZERO's jaw, causing the beast to self-destruct by its own breath weapon. The vision lasted but a moment, yet it had Cloud reeling. Tifa looked up, confused.

Taking the arm in hand, the warrior, for the first time, thought perhaps he was wrong about Sephiroth. Perhaps it wasn't how you were born but rather how you grew up that made you who you are. It killed the warrior, feeling the way he felt at that moment. He should've known that the general would sacrifice himself for people he didn't even know, even if Sephiroth had so much more Jenova cells in his body than he did. Cloud was the perfect example that being different didn't mean you should be ill towards those around you.

Nonchalantly did the warrior sling the sword over his other shoulder before taking his final leg of his mission. AVALANCHE followed, still lost over what's been happening. Anytime Cloud opened his mouth, everyone expected he would explain but it either came out as a yawn or a sigh. The rift grew beyond the limit he thought it could but the warrior needed this finished and quickly.

"Cid, get me over it," Cloud instructed, fearing the tear was still burrowing into the earth.

The captain would've preferred to jump over with the con alone and drop him high from the ground for what he did to his precious _Highwind_ but he followed his friend's instructions. With a single grab and unfathomable leap, the captain easily got all three over the two dimensional tear. Landing gently on the ground, Cid pulled out a cigarette and lit up while turning his back to Cloud. If his friend couldn't close the rift, the captain wanted at least one more smoke before it all ended.

With a nod, Cloud entered the rift, exiting on the other side in a split second later as if he stepped through air. Everyone he left behind in the second world awaited him. Chatting amongst themselves in two groups; Professor Gast, Ifalna, Lucrecia and Aeris were off to the side discussing someway to better the world while Detective Valentine, Colonel DeAnthony and Zack stood before the rift, wondering how they could be of some help even though time was about up. Everyone went silent as Cloud exited the tear.

"One Rufus Shinra for you," Cloud coolly said, dropping the con to the stone without a care. "Can you close the rift now?"

"Yes," Ifalna replied, taking the Time materia from Cloud. "Since he is here, I can channel his spirit through the stone and seal the rift."

Turning his attention to more emotional matters, the warrior noticed a passive feature on Detective Valentine's face, showing Cloud without a doubt that the detective was Vincent's double. The warrior knew the detective was on edge. Perhaps because there has been no sign of his son or the fact that he held Masamune over his shoulder that disturbed him.

"I'm sorry, my friend but Sephiroth isn't coming home," Cloud paused and handed Detective Valentine the legendary blade with his son's arm still gripping the handle. "He died a hero, saving my friends and my old hometown. No. He died saving both worlds."

Those words meant nothing to the distressed Lucrecia. With a wail, she leapt into her husband arms, which Vincent moved Masamune just before she would hurt herself and she began to weep in her husband's shoulder. Professor Gast, Ifalna, and Aeris were saddened but kept their posture for the rift was more important than any one man's life and that included a legendary hero. Meanwhile, Zack shook his head, believing that it couldn't be possible to kill Sephiroth while Colonel DeAnthony put on a strong front, thinking that his friend chose his fate but deep inside, he was in as much pain as his friend's parents.

The reactions from them all didn't surprise the warrior, not anymore. They all felt a great loss, no different when Cloud's friends lost Aeris and he knew their hearts were not misplaced.

"How?" Colonel DeAnthony asked.

"Rufus captured a powerful summon materia and commanded the creature to annihilate Nibelhiem. Sephiroth wouldn't allow it. He rode the beast, killed it and in doing so, sacrificed his life for everyone," Cloud replied, turning his eyes to the blade, Masamune in Detective Valentine's hand. "I think Sephiroth would've liked you to have Masamune, Colonel DeAnthony."

With that said, the warrior moved to Aeris with purpose. He wanted to embrace her, to hold her, to finally say good-bye but Cloud stopped in front of her. This experience with this world's Sephiroth taught him that to say good-bye to this Aeris would be pointless for the friend he lost was not her and this Aeris's wise words held great merits to him._His_ Aeris was gone but Cloud believed honestly that his Aeris knew how he felt and never could such a wonderful person, dead or alive, could ever think of Cloud as nothing less than a kind hearted soul.

"Take care of Zack. You two truly belong together," Cloud whispered to Aeris. Before she could reply, her father called out, "Cloud Strife, you got to get going. We're closing the rift."

Hearing Gast's statement, Cloud knew his time was limited and so being satisfied that he said all he needed to say, he sprinted right to the edge of the tear. Spinning around, Cloud waved to the shadows of his past, silently wishing them the best. Zack and DeAnthony gave the warrior a solute while Ifalna and Aeris waved back. Gast and Detective Valentine nodded as Lucrecia couldn't even turn around from her grief. With a little smile, Cloud nodded, leaving this world behind him, forevermore.

As the warrior exited, Cid still had his back turned, smoking his cigarette. It seemed the pilot never noticed Cloud and as he took a deep drag, Cloud snuck up and slapped his friend on the back. The smoke that filled Cid's lungs burst out from that single crack as the wind was completely knocked out of the pilot, sending him to his knees and into a coughing fit. A sound from behind had Cloud spinning. In a blink of an eye, the rift was simply gone.

* * *

Only Tifa, Reeve and Red joined Cloud later that day in the town of Mideel, where the last bit of business needed to be settled. The fissure in the earth continued to spout Mako from its wound. It was questionable to Cloud. Did he collect all the materia in the entire world? Was the materia in his hand the last? The moment of truth lied before him. With a flick of his wrist, the summon materia fell and immediately was engulfed in the Mako with a splash.

In moments, the Mako brightened a brilliant white and slowly faded to a thick black and red color. The hole immediately began to warm the area surrounding it as the liquid flowed below the group. Not a sign of Mako was seen.

"What the heck is that?" Reeve asked his redfang friend.

"That, Reeve, is the true physical entity of the Lifestream. Its molted rock called magma or you could call it lava. Truly a spectacle, for I never knew I would witness lava instead of Mako. Cloud, you did it," Red finished and turned to Cloud only to turn his head back to the flow of molten rock.

Surprisingly, even to Tifa, Cloud spun her around and held her tightly in a strong embrace, kissing her deeply and passionately. At first, Tifa was shocked and didn't respond, which made Cloud loosen his hold as if he done something wrong. But as his closeness was slipping away, that long awaited touch, Tifa jumped onto Cloud while wrapping her arms around the warrior's neck, giving him and equally delightful kiss.

In that moment, Cloud relieved himself of all the sins that was or was not his own. He appreciated Tifa's patience's for waiting for him and that in itself, made the warrior wanting never again to make her wait. As he grew, more in the last week than his entire life, Cloud came to realize that the past simply makes you who you are but the future is what _you _make of it. Life is far too short for what ifs or regrets, so Cloud held Tifa even closer, silently promising never to let her go, for there maybe no tomorrow. From that day forth, Cloud swore to take the day as his own and to enjoy it with all of those he held dear, sealing the rift in his heart.

**Author Note:** I would like to take this time to thank those who made "Rift Between Worlds" possible. Thanks to Nistelle and her inspirational story, "The Grace of God," which made me come up with this story. I would like to thank Daryl Falchion for giving me the encouragement to finish this, when at times, seemed too much of a hassle to bother. Thank you to my one and only reviewer at this time, Fifielicity for the input and enjoying the story. And finally, to all of you who is reading this and finished "Rift Between Worlds." I really hoped you enjoyed yourselves.


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